Orion's Star
by mamabot
Summary: This ties Heart Wrenched and Red Star together.   PAXTON sir name belongs to Bells of Eden/Blackwingrose  Connie and Alexis raise their children together.  So how do you raise three children sired by Cybertronian warriors in Canada?
1. Dr Mecano

**Prime Blood: Orion's Star Part 1**

You must read Heart Wrenched to understand Connie and Ratchet. And you really need to read Red Star to understand my Alexis. Oh, **PAXTON **sir name belongs to Bells of Eden/Blackwingrose to whom I had NOOOO idea owned that sir name at the time I wrote Red Star, Orion's Star or Bee-Ware. **Paxton **is vital to the three stories. I thought it belonged to Hasbro. She was kind enough to correctly me politely… and not make me pull it. If you want to read really good stuff, must read hers!

Alexis has an uneventful flight to Taranto per Prime's orders. It amused her that these most recent flights are so boring. Mostly because she isn't in the pilot's seat anymore. She almost giggles at her tension because she isn't in the cockpit. She is glad for this feeling as well, rather than the rollercoaster she has ridden the last couple days.

An easy trip through customs when she tells them she is here to see a friend at the children's hospital. She no longer tries to hide her slightly rounding belly containing her dead sparkmate's heir. Custom's official nods sympathetically. Then she heads for the taxis. Today, amazingly, the sky is clear and bright. So many times she had streaked through these bright blue skies and the black starry outer space. She will have to get used to being on the ground now. No more racing the clouds…. or Star.

No, no time for tears, she is at the children's hospital. The taxi driver offers to take her bag inside for her, but with a smile she shakes her head and tips him generously. Then she makes the tentative steps into the main entrance.

Approaching the counter she says it quietly, "I need to see Doctor Constance Mecano."

The receptionist eyes Alexis' military bag, "Do you have an appointment?" Alexis shakes her head. "I'm sorry, but with out an appointment…."

Alexis nods and takes a sigh, "Could you do me a favor? Could you page her with a simple message?"

"She could be in surgery."

Alexis nods, "I really have no other place to go. I can wait."

The receptionist can see Alexis' belly and military bag. Most everyone knows Dr. Mecano is married to a military medic. She takes pity on Alexis. "Sure. I can send her a message."

Alexis smiles in gratitude, "Tell her that I'm in the lobby. Our husbands," she swallows hard at the thought, "our husbands are in the same division and I need her prenatal medical advice."

"That it?" The receptionist asks.

Alexis nods, "Yeah. She'll understand."

"Okay honey. I'll send that. Why don't you get some water and have a seat? It could be awhile before I get a response." Alexis follows her suggestion.

~~ Connie was in surgery when the message came through. The nurse assisting read the message monitor when it pinged. Connie doesn't look up from her patient, "Please say it isn't Joaquin."

The nurse shakes her head and replies Alexis message. Connie freezes. The nurse looks to Connie, "Did you hear me Dr. Mecano?"

Connie shakes her head, "I don't think I heard you right, can you repeat it." The nurse does and Connie's instrument falls to the floor. "Dr. Mecano?"

Connie nods slowly. _Oh Primus help us! Another human-sparkling. _She swallows hard and turns her focus back to the child before her. As precisely as she can, she finishes the child. She leaves the assisting doctor to close up and then flies through her scrub down.

~~In less than forty five minutes from when Alexis first arrived at the hospital, a strawberry blond doctor in scrubs comes rushing down the hall and straight towards the receptionist's desk. The receptionist points to Alexis. Connie doesn't recognize her, and there's no reason she should. But she approaches carefully with her hand out, "Hello, I'm Dr. Constance Mecano. You paged me?" Alexis notices the Alabama southern drawl to her words.

Alexis' voice wavers also with her hand out, "Hello Dr. Mecano. My name is Alexis Paxton. I was part of Earth Marine Corps." Alexis can see the doctor is waiting for the key words. "Commander Prime said I should contact you." Then their gazes both follow Alexis' hands to her rounding belly.

Connie raises her eyes, "I think we should go to my office." Alexis picks up her bag and follows Connie towards the elevators. There are other people in the elevator so they stay silent. Both of them are nervous.

Connie shows her out on the fourth floor and down a hall of offices and into one. Connie shrugs off her lab coat and punches the intercom button while Alexis places the bag to the corner of the office. "Sarah, hold all calls unless it's STAT." Then she takes her seat across from Alexis folding her hands on the desk top. Connie is assessing Alexis carefully. "So….Where should we begin?"

Alexis' hands are folded in her lap. She doesn't know this woman and isn't sure how she would react to everything. She looks human, but her eyes… there's something different. Instead, Alexis looks around the office. Behind Connie's shoulder is a bookshelf. A lot of robotics and medical journals. But what catches Alexis' attention is the picture of five year old fraternal twin boys in front of a Rescue Hummer. Then Alexis sees Connie's wedding ring. It looks like an Autobot coupling ring separated.

Connie reaches her left hand out towards Alexis, "How far are you?"

Alexis finds her voice, "About four months."

"How long have you known?"

Alexis swallows hard, "I don't know how much you know about what is going on out there. But it's a war zone."

Connie nods carefully smiling, "Yes, I know. Far more than you may realized."

Alexis can see by the scared emotional shift across Connie's face, she knows something much more than Alexis could ever understand. So Alexis tries again, "I was a fighter pilot."

Connie nods and then asks the inevitable question, "Who and how?"

Alexis shakes her head. She doesn't want to answer. Connie pulls back and crosses her arms over her chest. There is a knock on Connie's door. "Enter," she frowns at Alexis' refusal to answer.

The door opens and Sarah hands over a padded envelope, "This just came. The military messenger said it was very important." Connie takes it and nods. Sarah leaves. Connie tears open the envelope and a flash drive falls out. But also a ring falls out. Connie looks at it curiously. There is a tag on it, "For Alexis: This is all I can give you back." Connie is very confused, recognizing Prime's mark. She hands the ring to Alexis.

Alexis sees the note and takes it off. Then she looks at the ring very closely. It is a piece of white metal, clearly used to be something else. Embedded in the metal is a green stone star. Alexis' fingers ever so carefully caress the remains of her lover's armor and chip of the stone he gave her. Then she slips it onto her left hand.

"Certainly not Optimus," Connie gasps. Alexis just shakes her head slowly, but says nothing else. Connie opens a locked desk drawer and pulls out a laptop. Then takes the flash drive and plugs it in. This is her secret research files. "By the All Spark," she gasps looking at the data.

Alexis' head shoots up. That phrase is never uttered by humans, only by the truly dedicated Autobots. "You're a 'Bot?"

Connie slides the laptop aside and leans into Alexis, "This file is about the orb. But it doesn't ask one vital question." She taps Alexis' ring, "Who is he?"

"Does it really matter?" Alexis asks very carefully. Connie stares at Alexis trying to read her. The staring contest is at hand. Will Connie pass judgment on Alexis? Will Alexis trust her?

"It's a 'Con, isn't it?" Connie's gaze narrows. Alexis covers the ring on her hand. Connie pulls her back up straight, "Just tell me it isn't Galvatron, Shockwave, or that demented Blitzwing. Please."

Alexis sighs heavily, "No, none of them." Then she says it slowly, "He's dead."

Connie smirks, "How can you be so sure?"

Alexis taps her chest, "I can feel it." Then takes a deep sigh, "I saw him… dissipate." Connie's face turns soft and reaches for Alexis' hand with the ring.

She looks at the ring carefully. "Starscream." Then she looks up at Alexis. She knows she guessed correctly. But more than that, Alexis loved him. "Did he know?" Alexis nods. "And…?"

Alexis smiles, "After the shock of how, he said this was a gift. We talked that maybe this blessing could mean peace between all three of us."

Connie pats her hand and thinks back on her dealings with Starscream. Tactical, yes. Driven, absolutely. A warrior, no doubt. Loyal: to the cause. Peace, only if the Decepticons Seekers took control. But he was also no fool. But for him to give himself to Alexis? Alexis must have really done a number on his spark.

Alexis grips her hand, "Doctor, is there any hope for this child to live a successful healthy life?"

Connie glances to the photo of her own sons, "I think so. But this orb is new to me. I'll tell you what we should do. Let's runs some standard tests. It will take a couple days to get the results. Where are you staying?"

Alexis shakes her head, "I just arrived on Earth yesterday and Taranto this afternoon."

Connie smiles seeing how weary the ex-fighter pilot is, "Alright, then. Come home with me. You can stay with me until you figure out your next plan. Do you have any idea what you will do?"

Alexis swallows hard again, "He… he just died two days ago. I told him the day before. I… we… were still trying to figure out…."

Connie realizes this is all still a shock to Alexis and comes around the desk to embrace her. Connie knows the most important thing right now is touch and warmth. "You aren't alone. You won't go through this alone."

Alexis grips her tightly, "I don't need anyone. I never did. I was always so independent. I blew away anyone who got too close. Except him. He flew right through my defenses. And now, I can't let anything happen to his little Star. I actually need this person." Alexis looks up to Connie, "I needed him. How stupid, right?"

Connie give her a gentle smile, "The more we push them away, the more they dig into our sparks, right?" Alexis smiles. She doesn't know how, but she knows Connie was a 'Bot. And this 'Bot is going to take her in and help her. Her Little Star has a chance to shine.

Connie leads her out of the office and towards her nurse, "Martha, please start a chart for Alexis. She will be a special patient. Also see if you can find my OB, I will need her assistance. Alexis, go with Martha and I'll see you for lunch. I have a couple patients to check on." Alexis nods. Connie cups Alexis face making her look directly at her, "It's going to be alright. You can trust me." Connie lets go and walks away.

_Chapter 2 _After the routine test and extended tests, Martha leads Alexis to a roof top dining area. From all the lap coats, Alexis quickly sees this is the doctor's area. The ones who like to smoke are down wind from the terrace entrance. Martha points Alexis to a table, "Connie likes this one." Alexis takes a seat at the table by the edge of the roof. The view over looks the ambulance entrance. Alexis is curious why Connie would take this seat. Martha smiles, "She won't be long." Martha pats Alexis hand and walks away.

Alexis closes her eyes and sighs. The breeze through her red short cropped military hair cut is so light. Alexis is used to going faster than the speed of sound. Lately she has been going faster than the speed of light. And then in a blink, her life came to a slamming halt. _It's not the flying that kills you, it's the stopping_, her old trainer would tell her. And now she understands all too well.

The last couple years have been a whirl wind. Flying fighter jets with the elite was awesome and a chance to thumb her nose at everyone. Arrogance and cockiness pushed her to the top of her class. It also gave her a chance of a lifetime. One of the first ones they hand picked to join the Earth Marine Corpse for the fighter squadron. Flying armed space ships on another planet. Top secret. Alexis loved it.

The first six months were a jet jockey's dream. Kick'n 'Cons out of the stars. Spreading their scrap from here to infinity. And it didn't matter how you did it. Just bring 'em to the ground and make sure they don't get up. Oh-ya!

And then someone gave her a chance to fly even higher. Faster. More deadly. Oh yeah, she grabbed that brass ring. With only a slight hesitation. It wasn't the hesitation that grounded her. It was truth. She still had a heart. It took the slickest, most traitorous, and smartest 'Con to remind her of that fact.

To his own shock, he was surprised to find he had a warm spark too. Blamed it on her. And then, they became mates in a way that changed them even more. Bonded in body, heart/spark and soul. Saving the universe together and looking for a lost offspring of a shared beloved 'Bot friend. It only seemed to solidify their destiny together. And then when things couldn't get any closer… Here she was, grounded on Earth with his offspring. Now she was at a standstill with only a light breeze blowing through her unshielded hair.

"Alexis? Is everything alright?" the tender female voice with a southern drawl cuts through her thoughts.

Alexis opens her eyes, "Yeah, I'm alright. Just thinking."

The strawberry blond doctor before her in a lab coat smiles sympathetically, but says nothing else. She sets a tray down on the table. "I wasn't sure what you were in the mood for, but I guessed not anything rehydrated." Alexis grins. Connie places a plate of grilled chicken, red potatoes, steamed vegetables and a nice hot sweet roll before her. Her own plate has the same. Alexis bows her head for just a moment in prayer. Then she lifts her head and fork. Connie looks surprised.

Alexis grins, "My mother would kill me if I didn't pray. And I need all the prayers of support I can get right now." Connie returns the smile. They enjoy their lunch for a few minutes in silence. Alexis savors every bite. A good meal. Not as good as her mother's meatloaf, but still a thousand times better than a military meal she's lived on for years.

Connie looks over at her, "I saw the ultra sound. No sign of wings." Alexis nods with a grin. But Connie's tone was serious, "I wasn't sure what we would find." Alexis realizes quickly, that a successful birth might be the least of her worries. Appearance mutations hadn't occurred to her before.

But Connie's cell phone rings breaking the conversation. She pulls it from her pocket, "Hi, Sweet Spark. How was school today?" Alexis realizes that the photo was probably her own son. But who was the other boy in the photo? "How is Orion?" Alexis' fork slips from her hand and clatters to the plate. Connie looks over at her curiously. Alexis' face pales. "Sweetspark, let me talk to Mrs. Greaves." Alexis retrieves her fork and sits back carefully with her bottled water. Connie quickly finishes up her phone call. But Alexis can feel her blood pounding in her ears. This woman across from her has a son named after the leader of an alien race she just spent the last year in battle with. Foe to the father of her unborn baby. Alexis closes her eyes and tries to will this whole thing away. How could her life be so crazy? This all has to be a dream. It has to be.

The warm hand on her shoulder brings her to her senses. But she is still afraid to open her eyes, "Alexis?"

"I really need to go back to my bunk at Diego Garcia. Everything will be better when Captain Greg makes me wash all the cockpit covers. Yeah, that will be reality."

The hand pats her shoulder, "I'm sorry, Alexis. This is reality."

Alexis opens her eyes to the strawberry blond with the incredible tawny eyes smiling at her. Alexis whispers, "Optimus said… please tell me what he meant."

Connie nods, "I think it's time we left. I can go over the rest of these notes with you at home. Meet me in the lobby. I just need to check out with my staff and check on a patient." Alexis nods. Connie takes their trays away.

Some how Alexis made it to the lobby. The chairs were comfortable. But she wasn't used to sitting still. Her system ran ninety percent jet fuel, two percent adrenaline, and fifty percent arrogance. There was no room for human blood. She had no time for it. No need for it. Her mother used to say she was born running and tearing the world apart just to find a way to make it go faster. It was a relief to her parents that Alexis found a way to go fast. Yet they cringed every time a military sedan was seen going down the street. They were sure it was the chaplain headed for their house with news that Alexis had tried to out race the stars and lost. Little did they know, she tried to go Screaming through the Stars… and found _him_.

Alexis wasn't sure how long she had been contemplating life with her eyes closed, when Connie touched her arm again. Connie was wearing a military flight jacket with medic markings on it carrying the EMC bad in one hand and her briefcase in the other. Alexis is curious, but also afraid of the answers she will get. Alexis takes the bag and they head out the main door towards the doctor's parking.

Connie hits the release on her key chain, and the lights on a red and black H2 light up. Connie smiles, "Second to my sons, my pride and joy."

"Sons? More than one?" Alexis finds her voice.

Connie pops the back and tosses Alexis bag in, "Yep, twins. Orion and Jazzol." Alexis doesn't say anymore as she rolls the names through her head, getting into the passenger side. Connie doesn't say much. Instead she is humming along to the country and western music from the CD player.

_Chapter 3_ A short drive through the Taranto suburbs, and Connie pulls up to a town house. Out front, are two five year old boys kicking a soccer ball around. An older woman in her front porch rocker waves as they pull up. Connie jumps out of the driver's side and the boys run over to her. Connie kneels down as they latch on. "Oh my sweetsparks. I missed you so much." Alexis carefully steps down from the tall car and goes around to the back and pops open the trunk. She pulls out her duffle bag and briefcase, coming around to the other side. Connie carries a giggling son on each hip as she approaches the older woman. Connie speaks to her in French. Then Connie says something to her sons in a different language. Alexis' feels a lump in her throat. It was Cybertronian. This was all really happening. One of the boys runs back into the house and comes back with two backpacks. Then they give Mrs. Greaves a hug and follow their mother to their own front door. The deeply red haired boy gives Alexis a curious look.

Connie unlocks the door, "Orion, Jazzol, I'd like for you to meet my friend Alexis. She is going to be staying with us for awhile. Why don't you show her to the guest room. I need to put my briefcase away." Connie takes the briefcase from Alexis.

The boys grin. Jazzol grabs Alexis' hand, "Come on Alexis! You'll love it! We decorated it with mom." Before Alexis knew it, the little boy was dragging her up a set of stairs and around the banister. The other boy pushes open the door. Connie has to gasp as soon as she sees the room. The ceiling is covered with glow in the dark stars. One wall is a bay window with a box seat tucked into it. The top two shelves of the bookshelf are filled with models of military ambulances. The bed is covered in a beautiful bedspread of stars and planets. There is a small desk tucked next to the bed with a desk lamp. The room is small and cozy.

"Do you like it?" Jazzol asks.

Alexis lets her bag slip to the floor, "It's wonderful."

Orion, a little shier asks softly, "How do you know Mama? Do you have a sick kid?"

Alexis looks down at the very sensitive and compassionate face. She swallows hard. The eyes are as blue as his name sake but with strawberry blond hair like his mother. She's never seen a human with such aqua blue eyes. This child has a nature as tender as his name sake, as well. Alexis can only shake her head. She reaches out and touches his cheek softly, "I hope not."

Connie can see the look on Alexis face, "His name sake is not his father. Just in case you are wondering."

Jazzol is now jumping on the bed, "I bet you I can reach Saturn."

"Not if you want to taste dinner," his mother warns. The boy moans. "Now, I want you to put your lunch boxes up and wash up for dinner."

"What's for dinner?" Orion asks.

"I was thinking spaghetti. Could you help me with the garlic bread?" Orion beams a smile. "Then hurry up." The boys take off.

Connie leans on the door jam, "Let's get through dinner and after they go to bed I'll go over everything."

"What do they know about their father?"

Connie lowers her head to her wedding rings, "As far as they and anyone else knows, their father is a medic/surgeon with an elite squadron. Every now and then they get email from him."

"Have they ever met him?"

Connie shakes her head, "I haven't told them that they never will." Connie takes a hard breath.

"Have you seen him since?"

The tears are brimming in Connie's eyes. Alexis reaches for her, "I'm so sorry, Connie."

Connie chokes back a laugh, "I feel sorry for you. You never will. I at least have a chance."

Alexis feels her own emotions choking up, "Maybe it's for the best. At least for me."

They pull back and give each other tearful smiles. "At least you won't be alone."

Jazzol bellows from the stairwell, "Mama! I'm hungry." The women laugh.

~~ Alexis helps Orion with the garlic bread while Jazzol sets the table and helps with the sauce. Alexis and Connie keep dinner conversations centered about the boys and their friends. After dinner, Alexis gets settled in her room and Connie gets the boys tucked into bed. It takes two books to get them settled down. A new guest is always exciting for them.

Connie changes into her favorite jammies: fleece with band-aids and nurse's hats. Alexis finds a pair of sweats and a t-shirt that still fits. Connie leads her to the living room with cups of hot tea and fudge. Then she opens Alexis' medical file.

"Okay, let's get down to business. The radiation readings from the 'Bots exposure is starting to drop off. It doesn't look like you are retaining any of Starscream's radiation readings. That is good, because neither 'Bot nor 'Con should be able to track you with a fly over. In a matter of a few more days, you should loose all 'Bot readings."

Alexis is a little shocked by the thought a 'Con would be tracking her. She points to the floor above where the boys are sleeping. "Do they retain anything of their father?"

Connie sips her tea and laughs. "Lets step back a moment, what do you know about me? What did Optimus tell you?"

Alexis shakes her head, "I can tell Optimus was mixed about me after I broke the news. Somewhere between anger, shock and sympathy. He told me to go to Taranto find Dr. Constance Mecano. That your husband was in my husband's regiment. But from the look on his face, I'm going to guess, your husband isn't a 'Con."

"Primus, no!" Connie gasps. "No offense to you, but if I ever see another 'Con, after what they did to me, I will not hesitate to destroy them." Then Connie leans in very carefully and her eyes narrow to a forceful warning, "What is your allegiance?"

Alexis' hands begin to shake. She can tell, Connie is not kidding. Carefully she sets her cup down and sits back in military style. She wants Connie to read her clearly and honestly, "Look, Doctor, I know nothing about you. All I know is that I asked Prime for help and he gave me your name. I can understand wanting to protect your children. I don't blame you. I do not blame the Autobots if they hate me. I'm shocked that Prime helped me. I do not blame the Earth Corps for letting me go. I hold nothing against either one of them. I do blame Galvatron for slaying Starscream instead of listening to reason. Power has clearly plugged his logic circuits. Starscream and Prime had a reason to unite. I do not agree with Starscream's plan for the Decepticons to take control of Cybertron, though. Seekers maybe."

Connie also leans forward in interrogation mode, "Then what in Primus were you doing with him?"

Alexis' shoulders sag, "Nothing that made sense. We were out for a good time. We drew the line at talking about work. We were a couple jocks talking smack to each other and racing the stars. And well… things went… spiraling out of control." Alexis sinks her head into her hands, "I had no business hanging out with him. He screwed up my world, big time. Even before the baby. I know so many things I shouldn't know. Prime and my commanders have no idea where I've been and what I've seen."

Connie sits back and ponders everything Alexis just said. "He killed your friends."

Alexis lifts her head, "Yeah, and I killed more than a few of his as well."

"He's tried to kill Prime. Many times."

"And Galvatron. He also risked everything to help his best friend Skyfire, Seeker turned Autobot, find his son. So who's side is he really on? His own!" Alexis feels the last remains of his armor wrapped around her finger, "And let's see where that got him? Not the best plan to come between them both in order to prove his point about Unicron. But you know what, it worked. Not the way he planned, but it still worked."

Connie leans back in, "What worked?"

Tears stream down Alexis' face, "The 'Bots and 'Cons have joined forces to take on Unicron. He died for the right reason." She looks down at her slightly rounding belly, "Maybe this child has a chance to go to Cybertron under a peaceful flag someday." Connie looks over to Alexis with a doubtful look. Alexis lifts her chin, "I have to believe he gave his life for peace. I can't believe his death was all for nothing. I have to believe he wanted peace for his child. Because that is the Starscream that I knew and loved. No one else knew or loved him like I did." A sob sneaks out.

"Oh Alexis…," Connie sighs with sorrow afraid to tell her that this war has gone on for eons and probably eons more. Connie's own grief goes back to why she was parted from her mate. It was for the same reason. Ratchet had left her in order to fight for a peaceful future for her and their children. "I'm sorry if I came across…"

Alexis reaches over and takes Connie's hand, "Please tell me…"

Instead Connie grips her hand tightly, "Ratchet. Ratchet has my spark and I have his sons. I can never return to him and he can never come to us." The two women hold each other tightly while the tears flow freely for their lost love. Nothing else is said that night.

_Chapter 4_

The next morning, Connie opens the guest room door. Alexis is curled into a ball and deeply asleep. Connie leaves her a simple note and heads out for her day.

Alexis is so worn out that she doesn't awaken until well after noon. She finds Connie's note telling her to use her shower to dodge the boats in the boys bath tub. Also that she should take her time getting acquainted with Taranto and Earth. She would be back at about four. It would be pizza night for the boys.

So Alexis pulls out her lap top and gets hooked up to the internet. There was a lot to learn. And she also needs to find an income. Her last military check wouldn't get her far. True she hadn't spent much of her other income and she had a heck of a lot of hazard pay coming to her. But what would she do for income? Where does a pregnant fighter pilot get a job?

Before that, she knew there was something else she needed to do. Taking the spare key Connie had left, Alexis walked the few short blocks to the stone church. Climbing the steps, it had been so long since she actually stepped foot in a church. She had to smile, it seemed so small and minimal in it honor to God after she had passed through his amazing universe. This Earth was so small compared to all the wonders out there. Yes, this was the only planet with _human life_. But she had seen His other creations.

Someone was at the pipe organ practicing for a funeral. She knew the words to the song. _Rise my soul and stretch thy wings Thy better portion trace, Rise from transitory things, Toward heaven thy native place, Sun and moon and stars decay, Time shall soon this earth remove. Rise my soul and haste away, to seats prepared above._

_Rivers to the ocean run, Nor stay in all their course, Fire ascending seeks the sun, Both speed them to their source, So a soul that born of God longs to view his glorious face. Forward tends to his abode to rest in his embrace._

Sinking down in a pew, she looked to the cross baring Jesus at the crucifixion. He had died that she may be free to honor God. He had died so that her sins would be paid in full.

She leaned forward putting her face in her palms, _Please God forgive me for being callous and arrogant in the past. Please forgive me for taking everything so lightly. Please, I don't know if you manifested Yourself as Primus for them or what your plan is for their souls, but could you spare my mate from Hell? Could you protect our daughter? Can you teach me what to tell her? Can you give me the strength to keep going? Like you did for Skyfire and Igneous._

_I believe you made this whole universe and everything in it. I don't care about semantics. I just know you are in charge and I need to put my complete faith in you. I will raise my daughter with that faith. I love you and thank you for gifting me with this tiny life. I will never regret her or forsake her. I will bring her here for her blessing. I will be faithful to you. Just …. Please God…. I need your help._

Alexis sat in the church for awhile letting God's peace wave over her. She also sent out her prayers for her fellow EMC and Autobot friends and their mates & children. She even sent a prayer out for Swindle, Ravage and Roller.

Walking home, Alexis found more peace than she had in days. Digging through Connie's fridge she had green salad waiting when they came home with the hot pizza.

As the boys were washing up, Mrs. Greaves comes to the door. She needed to go on an extended leave to take care of her daughter sick with cancer. Connie gave her a hug and told her not to worry. Alexis came over to ease the older woman's fears. "God works in mysterious ways. Looks like my timing is perfect." She rubs her belly, "Nothing like on the job training."

Connie giggles, "Are you sure?"

Alexis smiles, "Yeah, it's the least I could do." And so Mrs. Greaves left with relief. But she would miss the boys dearly.

At dinner, Connie asked Alexis, "So what did you do today?"

Alexis scrunches up her nose. How do you talk religion to someone raise on another planet. "I went to church."

Connie nods, "I understand. Prayer is a powerful thing. Saw me through some of my darkest times."

Orion asks, "Are you going back to the church?"

Alexis nods, "I plan to. I had to go today because I couldn't go to a friend's funeral." Connie reaches over and clasps Alexis left hand warmly. Alexis smiles, "But it's okay. I know he is with the Creator now. I also went to pray for his partner who must be so lonely and scared." Connie grips her hand knowing that Alexis understands a minicon-master link. "And my other team mates." She takes a bite of her pizza, "So what did you do today?"

The boys chatted on about the finger paints, the lessons and reading. Connie told them about the children she was helping from their birth defects or accidents. Careful to leave out the gory stuff.

That night, Alexis tucked the boys in with a wild story about a father who didn't know he had a son because his wife had been in an accident and was missing. His best friend and he had been on opposite sides of the war. But when he found out about his son Igneous, he begged his best ex-friend to help him. And so the search began over the universe for Igneous. Alexis kept the story to an exciting but not so frightening level. The boys were upset when Connie knocked on the door for lights out. "You both have school tomorrow. Aunt Alexis will be with us for a while. In fact she is going to take care of you like Mrs. Greaves did. Okay? So you will obey."

Alexis smirks, "Don't make me use those techniques I learned in the Marines on you." The boys giggle and she leaves the room giving them both a kiss on the forehead.

Connie found it would be nice to have a friend she could talk honestly to about the war and find out about her other friends. Alexis found it a relief to be able to unload the secret of her relationship. Just left one little piece out for now. She had no problem telling her about Starscream being a human. That was apparent by the new life she carried. Alexis just wasn't ready to spill the other half …yet.

One night Connie was concerned when she pulled up to the house and it was pitch dark. True it was eight o'clock on a Friday night so the boys should still be up, but where could they be? She opens the front door and was assaulted by a flying glowing disk. "Mama! Close the door, you're letting the light in." Jazzol whined.

"Excuse me? What is going on?" Connie was surprised.

Orion giggles from the dark kitchen door way, "Alexis taught us a game she learned in the Nemesis Brig."

"ALEXIS!" Connie growled.

Lighting a single candle Alexis tries to back peddle, "I can explain Connie. Just not right now. How about taking a load off in the kitchen doorway with Orion. Jazzol and I have the curtains to guard."

Orion giggles scooting aside, "Come on Mama, help me. Alexis is pretty good."

Connie scowls at Alexis. But Orion takes his mother's coat, briefcase and puts them on the kitchen table. Alexis takes her seat on the floor beside Jazzol. "Okay we've got six glow in the dark bracelets out here. You have to keep them on the hard wood floor and scoot them past or around us. If it goes under the couch the boys will fish them out."

"Alexis said she and her friend Moonracer played this when they were on Nemesis on their way to a secret location. Glow in the dark hockey she called it."

Connie growls nearly in a mech fashion that sent a shiver down Alexis spine, "You and I will be talking tonight, Miss Paxton."

"Ah Mama, shhh. Lets go." Jazzol called blowing out the candle.

Connie had to admit, this was a blast. This looked like a good game they could play one night in the children's wing of the hospital some night too. The room pitch dark except for the Halloween glowing bracelets sliding across the floor trying to get them through the doorway or into the curtains. After nearly an hour of flinging and giggling, the women were bushed. They let the boys take the glowing rings to bed with the promise they stayed there.

Down stairs, Connie lit the candles got her dinner and pointed to Alexis, "Explain being in the Nemesis Brig." So Alexis did. "Please don't tell me you told the boys all that. Or what a brig was?"

"A brig? Well ah, er… kinda had to. Not the Nemesis' truth of course! But I explained that the ship was full and it was the only place left for us to bunk and the doors were open."

Connie grasped her forehead. "Anything else I should expect coming up in conversation?"

Alexis rubs the back of her head, "Ah… well… they might mention something about Ravage and paper airplanes." Connie started muttering things Alexis last heard coming from Sunstreaker after a shotty landing taking off stabilizers. "Ravage looked like he was enjoying himself for a change. Can you blame the cyber-cat?" Alexis was sure she saw the tawny eyes actually glow like optics. "I'm gonna hit the rack," she escapes.

(Part 2 coming)


	2. who's your daddy?

**Prime Blood: Orion's Star Part 2 **

My family loves glow-in the-dark hockey. You'd be surprised what a work out it is.

Alexis gets settled in and a gift from the Autobots arrives. Ratchet won't leave his mate and sons defenseless against a 'Con's mate! Uh-oh, the boys ask _the questions!_

_Chapter 4_: And so the home fell into a routine. Connie was out the door many times just after breakfast. Alexis got the boys lunches packed and then walked the three blocks to school. Then she went home for house hold chores, search the intranet for job ideas, and occasionally sketch. Soon it was time to walk the boys home again, afternoon snacks with lessons and then while the boys went off to play, Alexis would prepare dinner. Sometimes Connie go home in time to talk and assist, but many times just in time to eat. Some days were easier than others on Connie.

"So, how does a 'Bot's mate end up as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon," Alexis asks carefully stirring the sauce. Luckily she did listen to Billy during all her time on KP duty and learned some recipes.

Connie smirks, "It's all in the servos." She wiggles her hand smirking. Alexis turns a narrowed gaze to her, but can't answer because the boys go racing through the kitchen and around the table.

"Are you sure they aren't Sunstreaker and Sideswipe?" Connie laughs heartily (sparkly!) and hoists one son under each arm taking them outside for a good tumble.

The next day, while Connie took a much needed day off with her boys to the park, FedEx came to the door. Alexis looked at the long box in his hands. In the corner was a mark of Seeker wings minus the 'Bot or 'Con mark. She knows this came from an Autobot, not the EMC. Swiftly she signs for it. The driver tips his head to her rounding figure and warns, "It's heavy." She smiles and takes the box with her left hand laying on top and sliding the right underneath. As soon as the ring touches the box, she sees it flash a glow. Now she is very curious. She sees the note taped to the outside and rips it off as soon as she gets it inside.

_Swindle said this was cluttering up his subspace storage. He also said, he misses you more than him. _Alexis noticed the mark for a signature: Prime and a small Cybertainium key taped next to it.

Now she was very curious. Nearly ripping the box apart, Alexis found a weapon's steel case. Using the key, she unlocked the case, then sank to her knees before it. Tears instantly ran down her face as she laid her left hand on the dagger/sword engraved by her mate's own hand. The ring faintly glimmers again. Her fingers traced the swirls looking like contrails across the vastness of space and even time. And there even was he as his red and white Terajet form. The sparkling stars that had been so tiny in bot terms, now stand out. Along the blade are Seeker markings, but not Decepticons. This had been made before the fractions. It was Starscream's boot dagger, but as a human, she had used it as a sword. Carefully, reverently she lifted the nearly five foot solid piece of Cybertainium. It felt good to have it back in her hands. She had left it at Moonbase. This she couldn't retrieve it from her bunk in front of everyone. She had just counted it as lost. Like him.

Connie and the boys arrived home a while later. Jazzol gasped, "Mama! Come look!"

Connie and Orion came to the back door to see Alexis twirling and striking an invisible foe on the back porch. To the boys it looked like any other sword. But Connie recognized the hilt as a catch to lock into a Seeker's boot. The metal gleamed in the fading sunlight. Even though Alexis was now nearly six months along and quite round, she moved with a grace and skill only seen in warriors. She moved with the grace of a Terajet slipping through a dog fight. And in particular, she had seen that particular strike move made by only one mech. It was unique due to a catch in his shoulder.

Jazzol started to open the door, but Connie caught him quickly, "No Jazzol!"

"But Mama, I want to see her closer."

As Alexis made a turn lifting her off the ground like an ice skater, tossing the sword ended over end into the air, Connie could see the tears running down her silent face. Alexis landed in a kneeled position, and the blade came down hilt first. With her head bowed, she struck her hand out to catch the hilt just before it struck the deck. All three gasped.

Orion piped up, "Jazz, look. She had her Ipod on. She'll never heard you coming and could hit you. That thing looks heavy."

Connie nods, "And sharp. You have to promise me that you will never step foot out this door when she is practicing." Pivoting on the ball of her foot, Alexis struck out sideways that would take anyone's ankles out. Keeping the blade stuck fast in it's invisible foe, she curls her body around and up to a standing position. (Not easy to do this heavy with child.) Then she brings the blade straight up to the sky nearly in a prayer of offering, and then lets the tip rest lightly on the wooden deck with her head still bowed.

The song on her Ipod ended, just as Alexis brought the sword to rest. "Whoa!" She heard two little voices gasp from the doorway. Connie is holding the boys each by a shoulder so they didn't end up as a victim. Connie looks surprised, nearing horrified.

Alexis quickly drops the flushes, "I'm sorry Connie… I…"

Connie gapes in awe opening the door slowly, "Alexis, the last time I saw that was when I passed the Seeker training grounds. You move like…."

"Skyfire started ..." Then she raised her left hand, "And he continued my training. I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

Connie smiles, "Alexis, do you like doing it?" She nods. "Does it remind and bring you comfort?" Alexis merely lilt's a smile. "Then don't take out my furnishings or my sons." Alexis nods. "And only when they can be safe." Alexis nods again. The last thing she ever wanted to do was harm these beautiful gifts of life.

"Can you teach me! I want to learn!" The boys chip in.

Connie pats their shoulders, "When you are ten. Not before. You need to learn a bit more _when and where _before I let you know _how_. Got it?" The boys grumble. "Now go wash up for dinner."

Connie comes out closer and holds her hand out. Alexis lays the sword in her palms. "Swindle and Prime sent it to me." Connie nods looking at the great detail on the hilt. Then she turns it over and there at the tip, Starscream's name engraved. Right above it is another mark.

Connie smiles, "Did you see this?"

Alexis looks down at it. It used to just be his name. But just above it his her name in Cybertronian. And then one last thing, "_Hold this, until you are one again_." Optimus had done it. A few more tears slip down. He would know more than anyone how much she is hurting for her sparkmate. Connie wraps an arm around her shoulder. "You look beautiful when you practice. Even more graceful than that hunk of junk." Alexis laughs at Connie criticizing her Decepticon mate. "Come on, put your toys a way and wash up for dinner." Alexis nods and heads back into the house. Laying the sword into the steal case, she locks it. She turns the case over and sees one bright fire engine red star trimmed in gold and white with blue Seeker wings. She giggles, it was signed _Custom art work available at _(*reader note, I have no idea if this sight really exists! Just thought it was funny!)

Needless to say, dinner that night was all about Alexis sword moves. She covered by saying she had done theater work while in high school. Connie shook her head warning her she would have to come up with something better in the future.

Not letting his mate be out done, a package arrived a few days after the sword. This one was just as heavy as the sword, maybe a bit heavier, but it was also addressed to Connie. Alexis signed for it and left the long narrow box on her home-office desk. When Connie got home, Alexis didn't get up from her game of Monopoly with the boys, "Connie, there's a package for you on your desk. It's got some medical type return address."

Connie headed directly into the den. She recognized that mark, it was from her mate. They had been working on some designs together via computer link, maybe this was the results. She lifted the telescoping lid off the box and found red tissue paper with a card laying on top. She knew that mark, _My beloved mate…" _Connie opened the card, _"I can't bare the thought of you being unarmed sharing a house with a 'Con mate. I wanted to send you my beloved one, but I still need it. So this will have to do."_

Now she was very intrigued. His beloved _what?_ She pulled the tissue paper back and uttered a stifled cry of spark-felt emotion.

Alexis and the boys were quietly playing their game while Connie was in her office. But they all jump when Connie threw open the door and cried out, "I'm coming for you now Alexis!" Alexis grasped Orion quickly when they saw Connie wielding the biggest black and red wrench she had ever seen in her life. Well, human sized anyway.

Connie took two steps out the door bouncing the object on her palm, "My mate send me his weapon of choice. Ready to spar?"

Orion and Jazzol look between each other and then at the women. Alexis slowly stands up, "How long has it been for you?"

Connie smirks cockily, "Too long. Get your sword. I'm ready for some fun!"

The boys stayed on the porch while the women swung the weapons in a carefully slow sparing fashion on the back lawn. "I think mom has finally flipped her lid," Orion is worried.

Jazzol shakes his own head, "You say anything about this at school and I won't protect you from the taunts they fire back.

Orion scoffs, "Do I look stupid? Beside who would ever believe us?" The boys shrug in agreement and continue to watch until both women land on the ground laughing their afts off.

_Chapter 5_ That night, Alexis felt like she was trying to force a recharge rather than sleep. Her body had flipped back and forth so many times and she had rested in both modes, that some nights she would crawl into the soft bed and sleep. Other times she would sit up on the window seat a lean her head back trying to force herself to recharge.

It was one of those nights tonight. Watching the stars outside her mind began to wander into a past memory….

They had flown off and he took her to a tiny asteroid. They both landed in their proto forms. He slipped a hand from her waist up her back to cup the back of her neck using his thumb to soothe her neck cables. She rested her on his chest. Then he leaned in letting the other hand slip from her hip to her thigh while placing a light kiss on her lips. "I want to show you something." He presses his forehelm to hers.

She inches her fingers under his armor teasing a circuit, "Oh I've seen that." He chuckles and dips slightly to slip is fore arm under her aft, cupping the other thigh and lift her off the ground, "Oh I wouldn't mind seeing it again, either." He chuckles again and lays them both down on the ground.

He slips his arms from her body and shakes his head, "Not now. Maybe later." Now she is curious and cocks an eyebrow at him. He removes both of his swords laying them above her head on the ground. Then props himself on his side, elbow on the ground, cheek in palm. "Next to your spark, I think this is the most beautiful sight in all the universe."

Alexis smirks, "Oh Lord Buckethead is going to float by offlined?"

But his face is serine. He turns her face and points to the sky and whispers, "Watch, my love. Shhh, and watch." With that, his hand drops to her waist holding her close to his side. And she is amazed by the most beautiful light show. A comet comes so close to the asteroid belt with a tail of blue and gold. The ice crystals flaking off the comet head, strikes the asteroid shards floating by sparking more tiny explosions in a variety of colors and gaseous marvels. Fireworks show against the blackness of space.

She gasps in prayer, "Oh dear God you make amazing things."

Starscream leans in closer to her audio, "Yes he does." She lets her hand drop to his, afraid to take her eyes away from the show. A moment of utter peace and universal beauty. He smiles, "I've done some calculations with Soundwave. This comet is headed towards your asteroid belt near Saturn. I could bring a modified telescope optics for us. Or as humans, we should be able to see it with a regular telescope. Not as beautiful as tonight, but we could see it again on Earth."

She does turn to him, "Excuse me mech, but are you trying to make a date with me?" She lays a delicate fluttered hand to her spark, "I'm a bonded femme. And my Seeker mate would not take it kindly."

He smiles to her, "I'll kill him and then you will run away with me."

She turns soft and he caress on her hand, "Where will you take me where we will safe from his wrath?"

He holds her hand tight, "The end of the universe. Primus help any one who tries to stop us." She curls closer to him. He tucks her back against his chest, holding her close while they continue to watch the show.

Just before they left, he gave her the Earth date when he promised to meet her. No matter what came…. No matter what happened….

Alexis eyes shot open. That was tonight! She leapt off the bed and into the boys' room. Their father had sent Orion a telescope for his birthday, seeing how he was name for a "constellation". Carefully she took it down stairs and outside. Training it, she found the comet.

She must have been watching it for half an hour when he heard the sleepy voice, "Aunt Alexis, what are you doing?" It was Jazzol. She held her arm out to him and lifted him up to see. "Oh wow! That's incredible."

She smiles, "Yeah, I know. My husband showed it to me once. He promised to be here again with me."

"Are you sad right now because he isn't?"

Alexis won't let herself fall into that feeling. She smiles and strokes his head, "Not so much now that I have someone else to share it with. I think he would like that you get to see it more than he. He's seen it before, but you haven't."

"This is so cool! Should we wake Mom and Orion?"

Alexis smiles, "Yeah. You go get Orion, I'll get your mom." Soon enough, all four of them are watching the asteroid light show.

_Chapter _6 Alexis found she was right about Orion. He was the thoughtful, sensitive, intuitive one. Pain and tears he feels personally. Orion was always trying to patch up a battered bird or something.

Jazzol is the faster than light, going to save the world, if you can catch him. He was always building something. And it worked. Alexis made it to the kitchen just in time to find him trying to mix baking soda and vinegar to make his skateboard jet propelled.

When Connie arrived home and found Alexis frazzled on the couch with a huge cup of Chamomile tea and her hair totally messed up, she had to stop and look. Alexis was now a good seven months along in her pregnancy. Connie drops down on the footstool, "Alexis?"

Alexis looks up to her friend and savior laughing, "Give me a regiment of 'Cons and I'll fry them into vapor. I can out fly them. But these two sons of your? Oh my word. Between the battered birds and the jet propelled skateboard… Connie, they're more cunning than a transport full of 'Cons."

Connie can't help but giggle. "Oh Alexis, I'm so sorry. I should have warned you."

Alexis joins her smile, "I'm begging you, please say I'm only carrying one. Because I swear I can't raise two of Starscream's children. And I know he's a twin." The two friends giggle and hug each other tightly.

But the next night at dinner, Orion pipes up, "Mama, what's a 'Con?"

Alexis and Connie look at each other shocked. Alexis shakes her head in silent warning, _I didn't tell the boys._ Connie carefully turns back to Orion, "I'm not sure. Where did you hear that word? Maybe you heard it wrong."

Orion realizes that he'll have to come clean that he broke the bedtime rules and drops his head to his dinner. But Jazzol, more brazen just belts it out, "We were on the stairs when you got home last night. We've heard you and Aunt Alexis talking about them a lot lately. It that who Papa is fighting?"

"Mama, were you really captured by them and Papa saved you?" Orion asks.

"Aunt Alexis, you really cared for one? You turned him to good?" Jazzol grins.

Alexis is so shocked. Connie's fork drops out of her hand. Then Jazzol leans in, "Aunt Alexis, tell me what it's like to race through the stars at the speed of light blasting 'Cons!"

Orion reaches a tender hand out to his mother, "I knew Papa was a hero because he was a soldier. But he really saved your life? Like from the fairy tale books? Tell me what it was like."

Alexis scoots back from the table, "Excuse me." She almost runs to the back yard. Connie is right behind her. They both sit down on the steps and try to calm their fears and breathing down.

Alexis turns to her, "You knew this day would come."

Connie shakes her head, "But not until college."

"What are we going to do?"

Connie sighs, "I haven't a clue. I wish Prime could help."

Alexis laughs heartily, "I'm sorry but that picture is just too funny. The two of us standing before Optimus Prime looking way up to him and saying, "Excuse me Sir, could you please help us explain an intergalactic war and cross species breeding to a couple of precocious kindergarteners? Something you have never had to deal with and probably never will." Even Connie, who had dealt with Prime and Megatron finds that funny. The two of them lean on each other laughing hysterically. But then they hear the scuffling in the kitchen.

"Told you!"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Well great now you got us busted for no good reason."

"You're such a nerd!"

"Well that's funny coming from a geek!" And then the physical scuffling can be heard. Connie and Alexis stand up ready to head back in when the next words come out.

"Get real, you dork! Fighter pilot in space? Come on. First she's a girl! Girls can't fly space ships. And second, she gonna have a baby. No fighter pilot would be a mommy. That's just dumb."

"So what do you think? If you are so smart, what are they talking about?"

"I don't know. A book? A movie? A TV show?"

"Girls can write. Especially stories about love. That would explain the baby."

"Yeah, but what about Papa and Mama?"

Connie pushes open the back door. She holds her arms out to her boys. They come to her. She strokes each of their faces, "You are very smart boys. Too smart for your own good." Connie looks down at Orion, "You were right, your father did save my life. He patched me up just like you do for those birds. He is very proud of your tender heart. So much like him." Alexis has to cover her mouth at the tenderness. She never met Ratchet, but his name was always spoken with high regard and utmost honor and dignity. And these three are the reason Prime wouldn't let him on that last mission she saw.

Connie turns to Jazzol, "And you, my son, are also right. Rachet' (with the French pronunciation) is a very brave warrior. He stopped my heart with the way he blasted in and swept me off my feet. When we got trapped, it took both of us working together to build a device to get us out. I ended up saving his life as well. He laughs every time I tell him what you have built. He is known in his squadron for patching up both equipment and teammates equally. Does that answer that question?"

"What's a 'Con?" Orion asks.

Alexis pipes up now, "It's short for confederate. A simple way to say the enemy without releasing who the enemy really is."

Jazzol looks up at her, "Were you really a soldier?"

Alexis kneels down, "Yes. I really was a fighter pilot."

"But did you really fly in outer space?" Orion asks.

Connie gives her a warning look. Alexis answers carefully, "Certainly felt like it."

"Told ya!" Jazzol asks.

Connie separates the boys, "Now, looks like we need to finish our dinner."

So they all take their seats again. Jazzol tries again, "Okay Aunt Alexis, who is the father of your baby?"

Alexis narrows her gaze at the smart kid, "If I told you, I'd have to kill you." He looks shocked. So she waggles her eyebrows at him, "It was an alien while I was flying in outer space." Jazzol changes his expression like she's crazy. So she links her fingers and looks up to the sky, "I shot him out of the sky because he was sassing me," she shoots a warning look at Jazzol that he could be next. He rolls his eyes. "So he came back and took me to his space ship and show me all the cool things he had there. He really thought he was hot stuff. So I had to put him in his place and shot his aft out of the sky with only a pistol." She shrugs back, "In the end, we found out we had more in common than we thought. And it was a wild, but secret romance. Not even my friends or commander knew. I hoped to turn him to our side." Even Connie is listening intently understanding the coded story.

Orion leaned in excited for the next part of the story, "Then what happened?"

Alexis holds out her hand with the blue armor and green stone, "He gave me this stone as a sign of his love with a piece of his armor."

Orion's eyes get wide, "And what did you give him?"

Alexis flutters her eyelids, "My heart."

"Oh barf!" Jazzol groans.

Alexis narrows her gaze to Jazzol, "Well I like my version of the story better."

Jazzol narrows his look, "What is the truth?"

"Some stupid jerk said he loved me, that I was the most exciting woman he ever met. So we snuck of to Las Vegas got married and two days later he got cocky and smashed his plane into the side of a mountain. There wasn't even enough to bury. Then I found out I was pregnant. I got kicked out of the Marines. Your mom was nice enough to take me in until I can get my life back together. Probably one of the stupidest things I ever did."

"Okay, so what's with all the this talk about outer space and 'Cons?"

"You nailed it, Jazzol. I'm going to try writing and see if I can make some money to support myself. Your mom has been helping me with the stories. Maybe you can help me. You two have a pretty active imagination. What do you think?"

Jazzol nods, "Okay. But no more of that stupid mushy stuff. Guys hate that gunk."

Connie turns to Alexis with a coded tone, "I love blizzards."

Alexis raises an eyebrow, " " using the Cybertronian word.

Connie's eyes nearly pop out of her head and she starts coughing violently choking on her food. She realizes Alexis had been a 'Bot for a time, something that had not come up yet. Alexis has to go over and pound on her back. Connie guzzles down her iced tea. When her breathing regains, she turns slowly to Alexis with a shocked look.

Alexis can't help but smile, "Is it normal for steam and smoke to emit from the armor?" Connie slowly shakes her head. "Red glowing shield?"

Connie's jaw drops, "I've only heard legends about that. That only happens when there is a perfect match." The two women hold each other's gazes. Connie touches Alexi's baby. The baby chooses that time to move. Tears come to both of them.

"Oh great, they're doing it again." Jazzol cringes and pretends to gag. Orion giggles at his brother's silliness.

That night it took a lot to get the boys to sleep. By the time they were asleep, on top of Connie's long day at work and Alexis chasing them, the two mothers were beat. With a smile, they headed for bed. But Alexis points a warning finger at Connie, "I'm not done with you, Mama-Bot." Connie laughs. She likes that title.

~~ But the next day, Connie was gone extra long with a patient with complications. The conversation Alexis wanted to have with Connie would have to wait. Again.

Almost a month goes by before Alexis has her chance. Alexis returns to the town house with a couple bags in her hand. She finds Connie sitting in the large living room window seat in her fleece jammies looking at the snow begin to fall. She only has one candle burning on the near by table with a warm fire in the fireplace. It casts tender memories across her soul.

Connie doesn't notice Alexis removing her jacket. Her left hand is pressed to the window and she seems to be talking to herself in a soft tone, "I miss you dearly." It takes Alexis a moment to realize, Connie is talking in Cybertronian. "It's beginning to snow here." She softly laughs at something she hears. "No not a blizzard. Otherwise I wouldn't let the boys go to the slumber party. You know we always snuggle by the fire eating fudge and fruit when the blizzards come."

Alexis looks closer at Connie. She isn't talking to herself. She hears a real voice in her head. There are tears coming down her cheeks. But she is trying not to let her tone sound sad to whom ever she is talking to. Alexis comes over to Connie. Now Connie notices Alexis and quickly becomes concerned. Alexis hands Connie a bottle of whiskey. Connie looks at her curiously and reaches for her rings, "I better go," she says to her linked mate. Alexis shakes her head and walks towards the stairs leaving Connie alone with her mate.

About twenty minutes later, Connie comes to Alexis' room with the bottle, "Hey, Alexis, what's with the bottle?"

Now Alexis is cuddled in her window seat. She smiles, "You and I need to talk. But I didn't have any Visco. This was the next best thing I could find."

Connie leans against the door frame holding the bottle tightly, "Ah Visco. Now those were the days."

Alexis points to the bottle a swings her bulking frame from the seat, "Well let me get my tea. You are going to have to drink for both of us." Connie chuckles. They head down to the fire.

Connie takes her place in the window seat pouring herself a glass of whiskey. Alexis arrives a few minutes later with her tea and a new box of fudge. She hands the box to Connie, "I heard you mention fudge in the past so I picked some up. Starscream and I shared honey fudge while in Australia. I don't know how it goes with whiskey."

Connie laughs. "So what are you wanting to talk about?"

Alexis waggles her finger, "Oh no, not me. You."

Connie points to herself, "What do you mean me?"

Alexis taps Connie's wedding ring. Alexis knows exactly what the wedding ring is made out of. It's clear the communication rings link Connie to her mate, "Time to come clean… Autobot."

Connie is clearly becoming slightly buzzed by the high alcohol content. "I have no idea what you are talking about… _human._"

"Cut the scrap, Constance. If that is your real name."

Connie's eyes almost seem to glow, "Conbeana." Alexis nearly drops her tea. A smile of pleasure spreads across Connie's face. "Oh, you know me?" Alexis chokes on her tea. The smile on Connie's face is almost scaring Alexis. Connie slams her next shot of whiskey and pours another.

Alexis shakes her head, "You can't be… _her_."

Connie slams another drink and places the glass heavily down on the nearby table, "And why not?"

"From what I've heard about you-"

"From whom? From that lying scoundrel Starscream or from overheated brooding Ironhide?" Alexis is beginning to wonder if bringing this up may have been a bad idea. Hastily, Connie pours another drink, but before she takes it, her eyes do glow amber as she leans in smirking. "Yes, do tell, Lieutenant Paxton. What is being said about me?" She takes the next drink like a hardened warrior. "The Decepticon back stabber? Ha, now that is rich, isn't it?" Then she leans back waiting for Alexis to answer.

But Alexis isn't sure what to say. The legendary Conbeana is sitting before her in a human body while her two human sons play with their school friends. Alexis swallows hard treading carefully, "But… how?"

Connie shakes her head of vibrant red hair, "No. You answer my question first."

Alexis quickly feels like she is back in her military world. "It's mostly rumors and hearsay."

Connie smirks broadly and takes another drink, "That's the best kind of talk. So… out with it."

Alexis treads carefully, "Word still trails through the Decepticons about making sure there isn't another Conbeana in their ranks. Starscream grudgingly had to critique new supplies at times." Connie laughs picturing that. "But the Autobots talk about the shy frightened captive Ratchet had tried to save. It was mentioned a couple times to be careful that a new recruit or captive didn't split the current crew loyalties." At that Connie drops her face in shame and stares deep into her drink. Alexis tries softly, "What happened?"

Connie takes the next drink slowly. Then lays her head back against the cold window. "I was young and impressionable. I was stupid."

Alexis tries carefully, "Prime said you were tricked."

Connie rolls her head back and forth, "I should have seen it sooner. Any way, I was captured by the 'Cons and manipulated into helping them. When I figured out what a fool I was, I tried to destroy them from the inside out." She open her eyes and smiles, "I had seen how angry Shockwave was at how efficient and successful Ratchet was in repairing his comrades. I was already in awe of Ratchet before I met him." Connie nurses her drink. "Okay, I really had the hots for the skilled sexy doctor way out of my league before I was captured. I'd seen him in action." She sigh, "Primus those hands worked miracles right there at the scene of disasters and the way he could organize his teams. He was so focused, so dedicated… so… I never had a chance of meeting him unless I got critically injured. He never dated. Never had time." She takes another swig. "And that hot red and white body…mmmm, yeah." She sighs heavily, "And then those frag'n 'Cons just had to scoop me off the street and feed me their sweet coated lies." she mutters more curses.

Alexis smiles. "Yeah, I understand. Prime had warned us that the two 'Cons to be most wary of was Galvatron and Starscream. Prime made it clear not to under estimate them."

Connie smiles, "You got that right! Sparks really flew when those two trained together. I never saw it, but clearly heard about it. Even had to patch up their sparing partners."

Alexis chuckles at the thought. Then her own eyes turn dreaming remembering some of their own sparing sessions. She pulls up her sleeve and shows Connie a scar, "Yeah, I understand. And that was all in fun."

Connie comes closer and looks at it with a medical trained eye. She whistles. Then she stops and looks right into Alexis' eyes. "Wait, to spar with him and live, you were a 'Bot?"

Alexis smiles, "Oh yeah. I have to admit, flying at the speed of sound in formation with him was …" She cocks a knowing eye brow, "As much fun as sparing." She sighs herself, "Damn, in his Terajet form he could set my port of fire just by looking at him. But to fight by his side, back to back taking down the Morgans, nearly sent me into overload."

Connie nods smirking. She remembers being in Ratchet's human arms. She lets go of Alexis' arm and settles back. "Yeah, I guess we did need to talk. But I have to admit it has been nearly ten years since I was a Transformer. A drop in the bucket of time, though."

"How old are you, Connie?" Alexis smiles.

Now Connie gets to laughing heartily, "Primus! So much older than you! Nearly two million years old. A mere child compared to my mate." Alexis joins her laugh. She knows how old those Autobots are. Connie continues, "I've been on Earth for only about two hundred years as a combine-harvester. Ratchet found me during a space bridge accident. He rescued me from my imprisonment with a poisoned explosive locking pin."

Alexis tips her cup to her, "I think I heard some one mention an toxin laced locking pin. That was you too?"

Connie nods. "Yeah, that was me. The way he fixed it was to shoot me with the human-virus based weapon. His hope was to revert me back to my 'Bot form."

Alexis can see this is where the story is going to get interesting, "But…?"

Connie blushes, "I was afraid. Ironhide had shot Ratchet in the process. I was afraid of causing a war between two best friends. So I ran. Literally."

"Wow. Then what?"

Shrugging, "So I joined a mechanical engineering firm for farm equipment and made a life for myself. I would have been fine by myself."

Alexis can see there is more, "But…?"

Connie blushes deeper, "He got injured in a battle once again trying to save me. This time though, I tried to save him." Alexis cocks her head waiting for the punch line. "I shot him with the by-product of my own reverse engineering human-virus experiment."

Alexis leans in smiling, "You turned him into a human!"

Connie leans in, "And what did you do to Starscream?"

Alexis cocks her fighter pilot smirk with arrogance, "Grounded the bastard." Connie laughs heartily, "With what?"

Alexis continues her smirk, "Oh a rumor I heard Optimus was storing in the war table. Shoved Prowl hologram in the table and stole the golden orb. I figured if it didn't convert him it least it was worth a buzz to his afterburners."

Now it's Connie's turn to choke on her drink laughing. When she regains herself she leans in, "How long did you have?"

"We put the orb in and out of his spark chamber. With the orb in, a purple glow popped out emerging as a human. Taking the orb out, the human was absorbed back into the spark chamber. This went on for about two years, I think."

Connie is impressed, "Very interesting. A concentrated version."

Alexis leans in, "What about you guys?"

Connie smiles, "Well he shot me with nearly 100% straight virus. Therefore I am stuck. For him it was less of a concentration. But there were signs of it's integrity failing. He had to call for the antidote before it completely failed and he couldn't convert back. We had a week."

Alexis points to the picture of Connie and her sons on the mantel, "But long enough."

Connie nods, "Absolutely."

Alexis asks the hardest question, "Would you-"

Connie cuts off the question, "I would never trade my sons for my 'Bot life. Never. They are the best gift of the All Spark. Better than my own life. Better than a ga-zillion years with Ratchet. I miss him dearly, but neither of us would trade a thing that might jeopardize them."

Alexis brings her tea mug to toast Connie's whiskey glass, "Agreed. He would never forgive me if I risked his daughter to bring him back. Even if there was a chance."

Connie narrows her gaze, "Not even a slight chance?"

Alexis' hands begin to shake, "He was disintegrated after Galvatron ran him through exposing his spark chamber to Unicron. Then he fired his weapons to tempt the devil. Unicron responded and dissolved him." Connie comes to Alexis' side. Wrapping her arms around Alexis. "All that's left in one wingsword for Galvatron's trophy, this little band on my hand and this," she caresses her unborn daughter. They both cry. It was tears that needed to be shed for both of them. Loves lost. But Little Star lets herself be known. They look down at the gift of love. Not all was lost. The mothers smile at hope.

Next, Starlex arrives. So does Grandma Harley with a surprise about Alexis heritage…. Part 3


	3. Starlex

**Orion's Star: Part 3 **_Grandma Harley arrives in time to meet her granddaughter. And ten years later, Red Star's Squadron shows up again with news… _I'll get around to posting Bee-Ware another week. Just check back. It will make sense then.

Alexis is nearing the end of her pregnancy. I some ways, she hopes it's soon. But in other ways not. She has very much enjoyed carrying her mate's gift and feeling the little life grow and develop inside her, like carrying his spark within. On the other hand, it is getting uncomfortable to sleep, bend and feels like her lungs are being crushed. And she can hardly wait to meet her daughter. Then again, will Starlex be healthy? Will she live a long full human life? What are the side effects to her father's true-

"Alexis, you're doing it again," Connie warned from the living room window seat reading her medical trade magazine. Alexis lifts her head giving Connie a confused look. Connie only smirks, "You forget, I know that look all too well. Saw it in my own mirror far too long. And I see it nearly everyday with my patient's parents. Worried for their children's futures." Alexis chin begins to waiver. Connie drops the magazine, "Look at me." Alexis looks directly into the tawny eyes, that hint of a glow, "I have seen parents loose their children at only a couple days old. I saw a mother expectantly deliver a stillborn child. Her words touched me the deepest. She wouldn't change anything. She felt it was her gift to even be able to carry her daughter for eight and a half months. Life is a gift, no matter how short." Alexis isn't convinced.

So Connie comes and kneels before Alexis, "You know Ratchet is much older than me, right?" Alexis nods. "And you know he will probably out live both me and the boys, right?" Alexis breath catches in her chest. Connie smile gently and grasps her clenched hands. "Ratchet and I have had this conversation a couple times. And you know what I told him?" Alexis shakes her head. Connie smirks, "I told him that working beside Wheeljack and battling 'Cons, I probably have a longer life expectancy. I'm surprised he made it this far." Alexis lit's a smile at the joke. "Each day is a blessing. Very easily anything could happen. A car accident, an allergic reaction, a fall, or a 'Con or Morgan." Connie grazes the swollen belly with a knuckle, "Come on Starlex, we can't wait to meet you."

The doorbell chimes. Connie stands up kissing Alexis' forehead and answers the door. "Hello."

Standing outside the storm door is a woman in her fifties, but clearly she looks younger than that. Straight black hair, alert expression, and a warm smile that looks like the one sitting on Connie's couch. The older woman answers, "Hello. I was hoping I could find my granddaughter here. Alexis Paxton?" Connie turns to Alexis.

But Alexis, hearing her name was already getting her heavy frame off the couch. She came beside Connie and sighed heavily and confused, "Grandma Harley?"

The older woman didn't wait for permission but reached forward and grasped her granddaughter tightly, "Oh sweetheart, it's true! You're here!" Harley won't let go and Alexis sighs into her family's comfort.

Connie chuckles and nudges them, "Please, come in. I was just making tea." The family steps back giggling so they can get inside the living room.

Alexis leads the way happily confused, "Grandma, how did you find me?"

"I got a letter in the mail with a set of airline tickets. It said you could use my help and it was urgent."

Alexis looks to Connie. She shakes her head, she didn't send them. Alexis turns back to her grandmother, "Who from?"

"Your medical officer sent it," Harley smiles and winks, "But I was curious why I was led to Canada when I thought you were part of the United Stares Marines." Alexis and Connie share a look again. _How much can be revealed? _They both shrug.

Connie asks again, "Who signed the letter?"

Harley smirks a secret smirk, "Dr. Mecano." She leans closer to Connie, "Strange name for a doctor, _Dr. Mechanic?" _Letting Connie know she knows the French translation to the name but also leaning in for how much this woman knows. Connie stares back trying to read this woman as well. She knows that look, there's more to her being here than just Alexis.

Very carefully Connie keeps her eyes locked on Harley, "Alexis, how well do you know Harley?"

Alexis scoffs at the absurdity of questioning her grandmother, but then she sees the warning glance Connie gives her. Alexis replies in Cybertronian to Connie, "I trust her, but find no offense if you want to call Ratchet." Connie curtly nods that she is going to do just that pulling at her rings turning to the kitchen. Alexis steers Harley to the couch.

Harley smiles, "So, I see you have some news for me. Do your parents know?" Alexis bites her lip, no. Harley sinks down beside her and lays a hand on the baby, "Alexis…"

She looks back up to her grandmother with a plea, "Harley, when I last saw them, I was still in shock. Dad pretty much knows, even if I didn't say it directly. So mom probably knows by now too."

"Alexis, that's not the same thing, and you know it."

Alexis looks down at her baby and strokes her as well. "They know I'm safe and well, but I just don't know how to tell them that my fast life has come to a screeching halt."

Harley laughs, "Oh my dear, it hasn't stopped. Trust me, it has just begun."

Connie comes from the doorway carrying two cups of tea, "Alexis, Ratchet confirmed he sent the tickets."

Now Harley's eyes widen, "Oh, you know Ratchet?"

Connie whips her head around, "You do?" The two women stare at each other, and then Alexis groans. They both turn to Alexis, "Alexis?"

"I don't feel so good."

Harley asks, "Hospital?"

Alexis shakes her head violently, "No!" She points to both Harley then to Connie but locks gazes with Connie, "No hospital. Connie, please, just in case something isn't normal. I… I…can't."

To everyone's surprise, both Connie and Harley answer together, "I understand."

Connie narrows her gaze, "Why do I think we need to talk?"

Harley smirks coyly, "And why do I think you aren't what you say you are?"

Alexis groans, "Both of you better help me."

Connie nods, "My room. It's got more room."

While Harley gets Alexis settled in the bed that faces out the large window, Connie's boys arrive home from school. She lets the boys know Alexis is going to have the baby at home and she's going to need their help in being young gentlemen. Orion pipes up concerned, "Mama, I want to help. I need to, I don't know why." For some reason, Connie knows it too. Jazzol decides it's his chance to catch up on his cartoon marathon down stairs.

Over the next couple hours, Jazzol stays planted in front of the TV with his cheese crackers, juice boxes and apples. Orion settles himself by Alexis head, doing whatever she asks. Night falls, the shooting stars arrive, the pain increases. Alexis pants harder. "Orion, open the window. I have to see the stars go screaming by," her voice cracks a sob.

Connie squeezes her hand. Harley helps prop Alexis up so she can see the stars. Quickly as he can, Orion is at his mother's side as she asks for the instruments. He doesn't flinch, or grimace. He is on target and completely focused. Neither Alexis or Connie are ashamed to have the six year old at the birth. They know he is destined to follow in his father's footsteps to be a doctor.

Alexis cries her mates name in his native language when the cry of a baby is heard changing the sound of the room from grief to joy. Orion is the first to speak in a hushed awe, "Mama, she's beautiful."

Connie smiles, "Yes, son, she is. Do you want to cut the cord?" Orion looks up to Alexis. Tired by happy, Alexis nods. She laughs at his delight.

Orion grunts and pants, "Mama, this is hard. It's like cutting steal." All the women laugh at the double meaning in their own thoughts. Harley comes over to help. The baby is laid on Alexis stomach and opens her eyes. Her eyes flash a glowing red, like her father's in anger. Alexis lays a hand on the baby, "I know, sweatspark, it's cold. Hold on." At her mother's words, the baby's red eyes drop to a soft red glow, one Alexis is used to seeing when she comforted Starscream. Connie looks concerned for a moment. But once the cord is clamped and cut. Harley scoops up the baby, ignoring the glow, "Let me get her clean off. Orion, do you wan to help?" He nods.

Connie helps finish with Alexis. Alexis whispers, "Her eyes?"

Connie smiles, "The boys' eyes first glowed blue like their father's when they first nursed. Hold on. It could change. Don't fret yet."

"What am I going to tell Granma?"

Connie winks, "She knows Ratchet, there's something she hasn't told us yet."

By the time Connie is finished, so are Harley and Orion. Carefully, Harley lays Starlex in her mother's arms. Alexis adjusts the baby and begins to nurse her. The baby's little hand rests on the swollen breast and nearly chokes as the milk begins to flow faster than the baby can handle it. She giggles, "Hold on there, Sweetspark. Greedy like your father for my attention, are you?" Alexis then gets the baby settled again. This time when Starlex opens her eyes, they glow Autobot blue.

Everyone can see it. Orion giggles, "Hey mom, Starlex's eyes glow like Jazz's when he gets really excited."

Connie checks Harley's reaction. Harley is very soft, almost crying, touched very deep. She reaches a finger out and strokes the deep black thatch of hair, down the little cheek and then lets the tiny hand grasp her finger. Ever so softly, she says, "Oh Bee. I wish you could see her."

Connie gasps, "Bumblebee?" Harley swiftly looks to Connie. Alexis looks to the two women locked in a staring contest.

Alexis asks carefully, "Why does that name sound familiar?"

Connie doesn't break her gaze from Harley while speaking to her son, "Orion, I want you to go check on your brother. Tell him Starlex has arrived. Can you bring us some iced tea?" Orion knows that tone. The grown ups need to talk alone. He disappears. Connie backs up and locks the door. "Harley Paxton? IS that your real name?"

Harley sits on the window seat. "I… I changed my name to Pax after I found out I was expecting Beau." Alexis head shoots up from her daughter to her grandmother at her father's name. "I had seen him originally in Mission fighting. Year later, as a human Bee told me his name was BB Pax and he was a soldier. I met Ratchet and Prime when he got really sick. We had another ten hours and then, he disappeared. I don't think he ever knew." She drops her gaze to her hands, "Until Beau saved Dan's life. He sent one of his shields. Then I knew Bee knew, but he never contacted since. I didn't know if anyone else knew."

Connie raises her left hand, "My mate does." Harley looks up. "Ratchet."

Harley asks the question, "How many others are there?"

Connie shakes her head, "I don't know. Ratchet has kept that classified."

Alexis finally speaks up carefully taking in the information, "Do you mean Bumblebee?" Connie nods. Alexis can feel her breath catching in her throat, "You mean to tell me, my grandfather is an Autobot?" Harley nods. Alexis clutches her daughter even tighter, "Oh please dear God help my daughter."

Connie comes to her side and kneels, "Hey, listen to me. If Ratchet thought there was a chance it would be bad, he would be here." She smirks, "He would kidnap you." Now, let me look at her carefully, alright."

Alexis reluctantly lets go of Starlex. Connie pulls a couple cases out from under her bed and begins scanning Starlex carefully. Alexis looks up to Harley, "Optimus had Bumblebee escort me from Cybertron to Earth."

Harley smiles, "How is he? What did he say?"

Alexis blushes and drops her gaze back to her now sleeping daughter beside Connie, "Grandma, I think I need to come clean about a few things."

"Alexis, is it any worse than finding out your heritage is from another planet? I'm sorry I never told you sooner. But…"

Alexis smiles easing her grandmother's fears, "It's probably best I didn't know. I went to Cybertron. I fought beside the Autobots. I watched them live and die. I felt really honored to be with them. Wished I was one of them." She laughs. The other two laugh gently with her. Then Alexis looks back over to her daughter, "But I escaped from Bee when I got back to Earth. I was trying to escape from that life and back to a 'normal' human. After what I had done."

Harley leans in, "Alexis, I know you're a wild card. Faster than light, like Bee. Feisty and brave, so much like him. I was very proud of you becoming a soldier, actually."

Alexis, "Yeah, well not after what you hear what I did."

Connie reaches over, "Remember, there was peace for a little while. Together they fought a common foe that threatened them both. That's what is important."

Alexis turns back to her grandmother, "Harley, I found a way to become like them. I wasn't just a fighter pilot, I was a fighter JET. I was one of them. I bonded with one of them."

Harley smiles, "Really? You became an Autobot, that's amazing."

Alexis scratches her head, "Not exactly. My daughter's father is my grandfather's enemy." Harley's body sags. "I bound my heart and spark to a Decepticon. How do you think Bumblebee would take that news?"

Harley sighs heavily, "Wow. That, I just don't know."

Connie lifts Starlex, "She looks just fine Alexis. Perfectly, humanly healthy. I think she will be just fine."

With that, the baby open her eyes. At first they have a soft glow, but then it goes away. She is left staring at her mother with the most lovely lavender irises. Not optics, but eyes in the perfect combination of aqua blue and ruby red. Alexis would have to find a way to explain that, but with a pediatric doctor in the house, they can come up with something.

Alexis kisses her daughter, "Well, welcome to Earth Starlex Bea Paxton. I wonder what God has in store for your future." To that, Harley and Connie laugh.

Before Harley left, she made Starlex a blanket from Alexis flight suit, a bit of fleece and some golden yellow. Yes, Harley saw Alexis tattoo, but she also understood Starlex was a God-given gift of the stars.

~~ **Ten years **have passed since Alexis fled Cybertron. Starlex is now a top notch fourth grade student and star of the children's theater. Alexis is a successful author. Even moved on to other sci-fi novels. But in the off time, she has kept her pilot's license up to date. Even went out on a couple air ambulance trips.

That's where she saw them again. Alexis had just helped deliver a patient and offered to take the chopper to the airport for refueling. Three men near a set of fighter planes were shoving each other around and laughing. Alexis watches them smiling. They remind her so much of her fighter pilot days.

As soon as her chopper was fueled, Alexis pushed it off to the side and decided to go to the diner for a quick bite. The burgers were smelling so good today. Just a head of her, the fighter pilots were still teasing each other. The waitress takes them to their table, while Alexis heads over to the counter.

Rad, Carlos and Billy were the three fighter pilots shoving each other around. Back on Earth for a few months, they got the okay to shuttle some fighter planes up to Canada for a museum. Now they were here at the small airport diner.

Carlos is the first to notice the red head in the red flight suit at the counter. The woman had pealed the flight suit down and tied the arms around her waist. Her t-shirt is white with a small red logo on the left side. Carlos instantly stops laughing and slaps Rad, "Hey! Check out the red head at the counter."

Rad narrows his gaze. She is attractive, even with her French braid coming loose. Vibrant blue eyes, faking reading the paper, but actually watching them.

Billy is the goofy one who smiles broadly, "Wow. What a bombshell!" He straightens up his flight suit. "Watch how a pro does it."

But before Billy can get all the way up, the woman looks at them directly. Rad and Carlos say it at the same time, "No way!"

"What?" Billy asks.

Rad whispers, "It's Alexis."

Billy shakes his head in disbelief, "Get real! This is Canada. Alexis would never leave the USA."

Billy strides over to the red head. He slides into the stool right next to her. "So, did you see the fighter planes out there? I fly them."

The red head smiles broadly and sets her paper down. She lays her left hand over the top of her right one, clearly showing she is married. Then she glances over to this clown's two friends. She recognized them as soon as she got close enough. But hadn't figured out what to say yet. But leave it to Billy to set up a perfect opening. Billy doesn't look down at her hands. Alexis decides to try a different tactic. "Really? Didn't know Canada is at war."

"Babe, the war is beyond this planet now." He tries to make himself sound really important with secret words.

Alexis laughs heartily and picks up her coke. She takes a sip and then slides off the stool, "I wouldn't let that rumor get back to the EMC, if I were you." She taps the logo on her shirt. It's the Autobot's marking. Billy gasps.

Alexis strides over and takes a seat beside Carlos, "Hey Rad, Carlos. Looks like Billy hasn't changed much."

Rad finds his voice first, "Alexis?"

She smiles, "I haven't changed that much in ten years, have I?"

Carlos quickly recovers, "No, no. Your hair is a lot longer."

Rad leans in, "How is your…?"

"Daughter. She's fine. A very good student."

Alexis takes another drink of her coke. Carlos notices her ring. "And your…"

Alexis hand comes down on the table lightly. She keeps her eyes on the ring, "Mate? He's dead." Waves of memories wash over her. These friends had known her mate, but don't realize it. They were his friend as well.

Rad puts a hand out on her arm, "I'm sorry."

Alexis smiles and puts up her front, "So what brings a couple fighter jocks into my neck of the woods?"

Billy, embarrassed returns to the table and takes the seat beside her, "What are you doing these days?"

Just then, Alexis phone goes off. She answers it quickly, "Paxton, go ahead." She listens carefully. "St. Josephs to Memorial. You got it. Could you page the school? Let my daughter know I might be late? Thanks." Then she looks up to her friends. "I gotta go." She stands and pulls on her flight suit. She points out to the bright red helicopter with the painted white cross and feathered wings, "Even Angel Wings need pilots."

Rad catches her arm quickly, "Hey, we are spending the night here. Can we meet up?"

Alexis quickly writes an address down on a napkin, " Six o'clock. You bring the pizza and beer. No Visco!" Billy laughs heartily. With that, she swings around and her braid crosses over her shoulder while she zips out the door.

Carols shakes his head, "Wow, Alexis a pilot for Life Flight. Amazing."

Rad shakes his head, "No, not that amazing. It was always in her to help others."

A few minutes later they see the helicopter pull an aerial stunt headed out of the airport. Now Rad laughs. The old Alexis is still in there.

Six o'clock, the door bell rings on Alexis little house. Rad, and Carlos hear the child's voice, "Mama, can I open it?"

"Tell me what you see," the motherly voice replies.

"Ah, I see two guys with a six pack of cans, three pizzas. The tall guy is holding up a shirt with a finny face on it. The face looks like your red bag."

Alexis laughs, "Okay, you can open it."

The locks can be heard and then the door parts. The ten year old girl with jet black hair, has a set of white cardboard jet-fighter wings tied to her back with blue stars and red trim. In her hand is a plastic sword, ready to defend her home. But the smirk on her face is almost too much: her father's arrogant one.

Rad says it first softly, "Oh dear God!" Her stance is just like the Decepticon fighter he used to battle.

Carols recovers fast and sticks his hand out, "Hi, I'm Carols. My goofy friend is Rad."

The girl crosses her arms barring entry, "Mama said there would be three of you."

Carols laughs, "Alexis, you know Billy. Something shiny and blond caught his eye."

Alexis comes up behind her daughter and laughs. Laying her hands on Starlex's shoulders, she lets the men enter. "Honey, if you don't let them in, we can't eat the pizza." They all enter and Alexis shuts the door.

Starlex takes a challenging stance with her sword. Even Alexis has to swallow hard. With the cardboard wings and the stance, with the straight lined scowl, Starlex looks just like her father.

Carols decides to cut the tension, "So, what's with the wings?"

Starlex points the sword at Rad, "Mama said you were fighter pilots."

Rad nods, "Yes we are. Your mom used to be part of our team."

Starlex looks up to her mother, "Really?"

Alexis narrows her gaze, "We've been over this before, Starlex."

Rad swiftly looks up to Alexis, "Star…lex?"

Carlos looks between Alexis and Rad, "What's going on?"

Alexis narrows her gaze at Rad in warning, "Absolutely nothing." Then she turns back to her daughter, "You should put your stuff away so we can eat dinner."

Starlex reaches for Carlos' hand, "Wanna come see my room while I put my wings away?"

Carlos smiles to the little girl, "Sure, honey."

Rad follows Alexis to the kitchen. Alexis doesn't say a word. She knows that Rad always had a crush on her, and by the way he looks at her now, ten years hasn't changed that. Rad sets the pizzas and beer down. Alexis goes for the plates. When she sets them down on the table, Rad takes her hand. He examines the ring carefully.

"That looks like the same stone that-" Alexis cuts him off by yanking her hand away. She turns back to get ice for the glasses. So Rad tries again, "Alexis, who was he?"

Alexis doesn't face him, "I invited you here to catch up on old times and have a good time with friends." But she looks up him with her old warrior gaze, "But I will not discuss Starlex's father. Got it?"

Rad leans in, "Why?"

Alexis clenches her jaw, "Because I don't want you jealous of a dead-"

Carlos comes zooming into the kitchen with squealing Starlex behind him. "And then if that doesn't work. You can always dodge behind some poor unsuspecting bloke," Carlos dashes behind Rad as Starlex rattles off the sound of weapons fire. Rad can't help but sink to the floor and play dead. Starlex looks down at him and giggles.

Rad looks up to Carols, "So that's how I got blasted and you survived? You clown!"

Alexis covers her mouth joining the laugh. Starlex looks up to her mother proudly, "So, is that how you fly?"

Alexis shakes her head with a sassy toss, "Ah, no!"

Carols laughs, "Your mother? Ha! Your mother brought the enemy to their knees with just her sharp tongue. Geeze, remember that time she shot Starscream right out of the sky with just a pistol?"

Starlex's eyes go wide with pride, "Really? You were that tough?"

Rad stands up and lifts Starlex to his arms. "Slag right! We were _all_ afraid of her. There was only one thing that could ground your mother."

Starlex's eyes seem to glow with delight, "What?"

Rad is captured by Starlex's lavender eyes. He touches her nose lightly, "You. She loves you more than all the stars in the universe."

Starlex turns to her mom, "Really?"

Alexis nods choked up that her best friends would recognize that. She takes Starlex tightly in her arms. "Yes my Little Star. You are my whole universe."

Both Carlos and Rad look at each other shocked by the way she said that. But Alexis doesn't notice their reaction because she is closing her eyes tight against her tears. Carlos knows things are getting too serious, "You know they don't have good pizza on base. Let's eat."

~~Through dinner, Alexis fills her friends in on her authorship. Starlex lets the boys know they are welcomed to her school play. The boys learn she is playing Joan of Arc in a pageant about famous women.

Rad cocks his head to Alexis, "Too bad our life was classified. She could have portrayed you." Alexis shakes her head in embarrassed.

When Starlex goes to wash her greasy hands, Carols leans in, "We have another mission here." Alexis looks up curious. "We need you. There is a new Prime. Optimus is dead. Rodimus Prime is looking for trained human help."

Shock clearly comes across her face. She didn't hear the last part of the statement. Then grief, she whispers, "Japan." The boys nod.

"Please come with us." Carlos tries again. "We need you, Warrior Goddess."

Starlex comes back into the room humming a song Sunstreaker used to tap out on the main consoles. Alexis looks at her beautiful daughter, but all Alexis can hear is Starscream's plea for his daughter's life. What he died for. Pulling Starlex tightly into her arms, Alexis tells her friends in a mysterious tone, "I made a promise to Starlex's father. I can't. Not until… later. I'll say more …later." But she lifts Starlex to face her. Tears in her eyes, Alexis tells her friends but making it clear to her daughter, "I am truly sorry about Optimus, after all he did for me. But he would agree, Starlex comes first." Alexis clutches her daughter to her chest.

It surprises Carlos to see Alexis so soft. But not Rad. He knew deep down inside that controlling warrior shell was a pile of mush. But the suspense is killing him, who reached her core first?

Later in the evening, Alexis takes Starlex upstairs to prepare for bed and the boys clean up the kitchen. Alexis tries to tuck Starlex into bed, but she is just to wired. Carlos comes upstairs and knocks on the door. Smiling at Alexis the Mommy, he tries to help, "This is sounding familiar. Sounds like someone needs some stories read."

Starlex shakes her head, "I want to hear more about you guys flying."

Alexis gives Carlos a warning look. Instead his smile is tender and warm, "I have experience. Don't worry, I know what to say."

Alexis leans in to whisper to him, "I'm not worried about space talk. I'm worried about you telling her how many times I ended up on KP. I don't need her to be reminded her mother was a wild card, giving her excuses to have her own chair in the headmaster's office." She pulls back and he can see true fear across her face.

Carlos roars with laughter, "Don't worry. I think I can tone down the fairy tale." Alexis shakes her fist at him in warning. Then Carlos welcomes Starlex to cuddle with him in the window seat looking at the stars. Carlos looks so comfortable with a child in his arms. Alexis slips downstairs and finds Rad coming out of the kitchen with a couple beers.

Alexis takes one, "Carlos looks so comfortable in the father roll."

Rad swallows his gulp, "He should. He has a five year old daughter in Mexico." Alexis looks surprised. "He fell for a member of the kitchen staff. Secretly they met with the chaplain. But when they couldn't hide her pregnancy, she returned to her parents house. He gets home as much as possible. But hard with him being stationed at the Mars base. I'm at the Ocean Base. We really need you back on Cybertron."

Alexis turns away, "Rad, stop."

Rad reaches out and slips his hand into hers. Then maneuvers himself to stand directly in front of her, "You could bring Starlex." She still won't look up at him. Rad sets his beer on the fireplace mantel. Then he gently lifts her chin in the palm of his hand. They are face to face and his voice is so tender. "Alexis you could come with me. I will love and protect your daughter like my own."

Alexis can see he would do everything in his power to protect what Alexis loved most. His hand caresses her jaw using his thumb to stroke her ear. And then he is leaning in. His kiss is very tender and sweet. Alexis tries to return the kiss but, they both know, her heart lies elsewhere. Rad pulls back a hair, "Who was he? Is he really dead?"

Alexis taps her heart, "Not here."

Rad smiles, "I noticed." Alexis turns away from Rad. She is trying very hard not to spill it all to her friend. Rad was probably her very best friend, but still…

Rad turns away from her too. He reaches for his beer beside the mounted sword. Looking at it carefully, he remembers Alexis grabbing Starscream's boot-dagger. Boy she could wield that as well as the Decepticon SIC. And the way they moved as a silent team, like they were one reacting to each other's moves. They were like one.

Then sees a framed drawing on the wall. Rad knew the landscape instantly, he'd buzzed it enough times. The picture is her colored pencil sketch of sleeping Starscream at their plateau with the sun setting behind him. It captures Starscream at his most peaceful. This was a face Rad had never seen on the hardened warrior. He had always seen Starscream with an air of a powerful arrogant warrior or confused by the petty humans. Rad had never seen Starscream curled up on his own arms, like a small child, completely relaxed. Who knew that Titanium and Cybertainium could actually relax and be at rest. Starscream's wings almost droop.

Peace was never a word he would have associated with Starscream. But Alexis had captured it was possible. No! Rad leans in even more closely. Then he realizes, the face is not Starscream's hardened metal face.

Rad turns back to Alexis. She is just taking a drink of her beer and sees what he sees. She swears. Her next move better be careful or he will know it all. Rad steps closer to the picture and examines every detail.

No, this was the soft tender face of Star not the cunning Starscream. Rad checks Alexis' reaction and then back again to the drawing. Now he is absolutely certain, Star was Starscream's human manifestation. And considering the absolute softness to the picture. The way the sunset holds and cradles him, Alexis had met Star/Starscream enough times to catch every scar and dimple in Star's face. Every scratch, dent, a burn mark to Starscream's armor.

Rad turns back to Alexis while pointing to the tender picture of their friend & enemy. "Alexis…. Who is Starlex's father?" Alexis shakes her head in warning that she won't tell him. Rad slowly lowers himself trapping her to the couch, "You were really upset when Starscream died. And then you fled."

Alexis tries to brush her falling bangs from her face. But Rad captures her hand and looks down at Alexis wedding ring. He had enough dealings with the Transformers to identify the metal instantly. And he has his own chunk of the green stone. Alexis' piece was cut like a star on Starscream's sliver of armor. His voice almost seethes, "Slag-it Alexis! What happened? Did he hurt you?" She shakes her head.

Alexis's voice begins to waivers in deflection of the conversation, "I wasn't the only one upset at his death."

Rad covers her hand tenderly, "True. But you were the most upset. You were the only one to flee directly after his death."

Alexis gasps, "Rad, I was four months pregnant. It was only a matter of time. I could barely fit into my flight suit as it was. There was a shuttle headed back, anyways. Timing."

Rad tenderly grabs her chin, "Stop it Alexis. I'm your friend no matter what. Talk to me."

Alexis takes a shaky breath, "Look Rad. I haven't had to deal with this life for ten years. And now you come back here telling me Optimus is dead and you want me to come back and continue helping in a war I thought was over. You know I would love to go. I miss everyone. But I'm a mother. I can't betray my promise to…"

"What was the promise?" Rad tries carefully.

Alexis knows now that Rad won't stop. "He told me to raise our daughter in peace. He went to that meeting praying he would bring peace… for his daughter… for me. But he also knew the risks. He knew the odds were heavily stacked against him. But still he charged in there…." She swallows hard, "… for us."

Rad finally has the truth, but it is still hard to grasp. "Starscream is Starlex's father?" Alexis waits a few minutes and then slowly nods her head. "How?"

Rad can see by her blush, time was magical between them. He is embarrassed too, "You know what I mean."

Alexis shakes her head, "Optimus knew, let's leave it at that."

Rad steps back and goes back to the picture on the wall and taps it, "Star. That night at the bar. He was Star." Rad clamps a hand to his forehead, "Why didn't I see it then?"

Alexis smiles at Rad feeling like a fool and takes a drink, "Yeah, well..."

Carlos comes down the stairs, "Hey what's going on?" Carlos can clearly see there was a serious conversation going on. He turns to Rad, "So did you finally ask her out?"

Rad could shoots lazars straight from his scowl at Carlos. Instead Carlos just chuckles. Alexis carefully goes to the wall and takes the picture down. She lays it flat on the mantel under the sword. The last thing she wants is to explain this to Carlos.

Instead, Carlos asks her directly. "So come on, who is Starlex's father?"

Rad leans back against the mantel with a wink to Alexis, "Who do you think?"

Carlos shakes his head. "So who has a steel hardened force field around their heart and brazen enough to tangle Alexis?" Carols ponders the though for a few minutes. Then the points up to Starlex's room, "Star. From that night in the bar."

Rad's jaw drops that Carlos could nail it so quickly. "How….?"

Carols heads for the kitchen for the last beer, "Oh come on Rad, you aren't that slow. That guy was hard core. Billy and I had it figured out less than a week after Alexis left. No one else stood a chance. You certainly didn't." He winks, "And looks like you still don't."

Rad narrows his gaze at Alexis, "Hard to compete with the ghost of a hero."

Alexis raises her beer in toast. She is grateful that Rad would recognize Starscream's last act as heroism, and not foolishness.

With that, Alexis quickly has them turn the conversation to the current situation with the EMC. Alexis knew she would have to rejoin, but not until she fulfilled her promise. Rad didn't agree but finally had to concede, leaving her in peace. Temporarily.

If you want to see Starlex's blankie, got to and pull me up: Mamabot and look into my gallery either under photos or Red Star and you will see the blankie I made and donated. My avatar is make in honor of Illmatar's deeply romantic and friendship binding story (warning will give you nightmares as well as giggles) Maelstrom. My first mentor! Pondering a creation for Blackwingrose…..


	4. deployment

**Orion's Star 4: Connie & Ratchet **A slight deviation from the main story for just a moment for one of our favorite couples who got robbed of a private 'Bot moment. Besides, very sweet for Orion and his father. (yes, this is also called Reunion in Heart Wrenched but you see it in a new light now?)

Alexis stomped through Connie's front door into the storm room with tightly bundled Starlex. Opening the interior door she bellows, "Alright I'm here Connie! Now tell me what is going on!" Alexis shrugs off her jacket and then proceeds to help her daughter. Connie comes to the interior door. Alexis has to take a second look.

"What on Earth are you wearing?" Alexis is shocked. But on the other hand, she is pretty sure what it is.

Connie giggles like a school girl, "I don't know. It came with a note. I have a date tonight!"

Alexis' jaw drops and then looks back out to the brewing blizzard, "Connie, you know you are cracked to go out in that? I'm stupid enough to drag Starlex through it for you. The boys are old enough to take care of themselves for the night. What is really going on?"

Connie reaches to help unbundled Starlex shooting Alexis a look that she won't talk about it in front of the child. Alexis shrugs off her boots and hangs up the gear. Starlex then looks to Connie, "Are the boys here?"

Connie strokes her face, "Yes Sweetie. Orion is making fudge and Jazzy is finishing up a report. The boys have a lot of homework, but promise to make time for you." Starlex nods and runs off to the kitchen.

"Hey there Starlex," Orion's deep mature teen voice can be heard from the kitchen.

Alexis reaches over and shuts the interior door closing both the mothers into the storm room. Using her best commander's interrogation stance, Alexis scowls, "Out with it Conbeana!"

Connie cringes at her real name. "Ratchet is taking me out. We need to talk he said and doesn't want to do it through the link."

Alexis plucks the thickly woven material enclosing Connie's body from neck to wrist and ankles. "I know what that suit is. Do you?" Connie shakes her head. Alexis scrubs her face trying to decide if she should tell her.

Connie is now concerned, "Ratchet said it was a surprise. Why?"

Alexis decides if her mate wants to surprise his wife, she will respect it, "Let's just say, your eyes will be stunned at what you see." Then she sighs. "You don't know when you will be back, do you?"

Connie shakes her head, "I didn't like his tone. And I don't want the boys to worry. Otherwise I wouldn't have called you."

The flashing emergency lights can be seen coming down the street cutting through the swirling snow, but that is all that can be see, no siren. Connie grips her hand as it vibrates. Alexis hugs her friend, "Go have a good time. Take as much time as you need."

Connie nods, biting back her excitement. Quickly she tugs on the matching booties and gloves to the suit, but carries the hood. Connie bellows into the main house, "Boys! I'm headed out. I'm not sure when I'll be back."

"Mom! You're insane!" Jazzol calls down the stairs.

Connie barks back, "Yeah well takes one to know one." He chuckles.

Orion comes from the kitchen and gives his mother a hug, "Tell dad I miss him."

Connie looks out the glass stormed door and pulls his hand. He follows her to the EMT Hummer pulled up to the lawn through the swirling snow. Orion opens the passenger door for his mom, "I love you, Mom."

Connie strokes his cheek, "I love you too son. Make sure-"

Orion hands her the seat belt, "Mom, just go and kiss dad. I know you can't say any more and neither can he. I'm fine with that. Just go and tell him to be safe and I love him very much, alright?"

Connie fights her tears stroking the dash board, "Yeah, I'll be sure he knows."

"Oh and don't forget to tell him I got accepted into the medical program."

Connie bonks the dashboard, "First thing on my list to tell him."

Orion leans in and kisses her cheek. He looks over to the driver in a military medic's uniform (a holo-form looking just as Connie had seen Ratchet as a human), "You get her to my father in one piece or don't bother reporting at all, got it?"

The driver smiles broadly at this boy giving him orders. At least that's how Orion interpreted the expression. The medic respectfully replies, "Yes Son."

Connie starts giggling. Orion shakes his head, "That wasn't a joke, Mom. You and I both know dad's temper. This guy won't stand a chance against those wrenches."

The driver coughs back the urge to laugh.

She shakes her head just as amused, "Get inside before you freeze to death and become a patient rather than a student and your dad has _your head_." Orion scowls and slams the door against the storm then dashes up to the house. Alexis and Orion watch the Hummer disappear into the storm.

Orion shakes his head, "That driver looked so familiar." Alexis can only smirk, _It's because he looks like you silly! _She wanted to tell him, but instead, heads into the house with him.

~~ Ratchet's holoform turns to her, "Dear Primus, when did he get so big? Medical school?"

Connie smiles, "On his first try he got accepted."

Ratchet smiles, "That's my son."

Connie giggles, "Well my son has gotten accepted into the robotics program. He turned down the first one because it was too far away from were Orion got accepted." Ratchet chuckles and keeps going through the snow breaking into 4WD. Connie strokes the dash, "Where are we going?"

"Just hold on. It won't be long." Connie settles back into his seat and feels him mold around her. "I've missed you badly." She runs her hands along the door panel trying to sooth him. She knows whatever he has to tell her, it is going to be painful. He chooses to remain silent, instead turning on soft country music he knows she likes.

~~ Soon Ratchet has them to their destination and tells her to pull on the fabric hood. She does and climbs out. She can see they are near a lake and the blizzard is really starting to kick up. Ratchet then kneels, holding a hand out to her. His tone is so warm and inviting, pushing sensuous, "Come into my spark, My Love." With that, he parts a panel in his chest and brings her to the blue glow of his chest. He would never do anything to jeopardize her life, after all he is a medic and her spark mate. Connie reaches her hands out and is enveloped by his spark. She hears him gasp in delight and then the blue light overcomes her, blinding her.

~~~Opening her eyes, she can see they are back on Cybertron. But this looks like the pictures between the wars. There are healthy fruitful plains laying out before her. Not a scrap of demolition in sight. Then she hears his voice, the way she heard it once back home, "The Goren Plains before the war desecrated them."

Turning to the sound of his voice, she gasps in delight. It's Ratchet in his Cybertronian proto-form mode the way she had first seen him. White with streaks of red and the chevron points to his fore-helm. The smile on his face is genuinely pleased, "Oh my beautiful Connie." He strides forward reaching a hand out to her. Connie raises her hand and sees a hand she hasn't seen in way, way too long. Ratchet lightly laughs, "I guess I should explain." He takes her hand and leads her to a pool of water. Looking down, Connie can see a reflection she hasn't seen since before her capture. Ratchet wraps his arms around her elegantly trimmed waist from the back while she touches her metallic face.

Her black body with red accents accentuating her femme features. She looks amazing. With red and black blades falling loosely from her helm and swaying in the light breeze. Ratchet watches her reaction as he reaches and strokes his fingers through her blades of "hair". Connie looks away and admires his own physique. It's her turn to lay her hands against his chest and slide her hand up to his shoulder curling her long fingers around his neck. "Ratchet?"

He leans over and kisses her. Connie feels their bodies move closer, curling her arm around his neck while one of his delves into her blades deepening the kiss and the other hand cinches around her waist. Connie's other hand reaches for his waist and pulls him even closer. When her hand accidentally touches a sensitive circuit, he growls animalistic and pulls back.

"Oh Primus," he whispers. Connie lays her head against his chest. "I didn't mean to lead to that so quickly."

Connie giggles, "I'm not objecting."

He laughs, "So I see." She lifts her head for more, but he puts a finger tip to her lips, "We need to talk first, then, believe me I planned to interface." He can feel her body heat up at just the word. He tugs a piece of armor on her back holding her back for a moment. "This is a hologram program I've been working on with Wheeljack. But I have to admit, I like this feature." His smile is so delighted and enticing.

Connie narrows her gaze at him, "What did you intend it for, if not this?"

"It's supposed to be an interactive program for the humans for training, to see what it is like from our side. Since you are my mate, I could make this more hands on. I can feel your emotions. Empathic abilities. I do not intend that feature for the others. Even Wheeljack doesn't know I planned to bring you into my spark."

"You can feel me?"

"Can you feel me?"

"I just thought it was because I missed you so much?"

He smiles stroking her face, "In this case, we are both feeling the same thing. I have found a way for your human body and my Cybertronian one to spark bond." The delight of feeling each other's love is soon replaced by the wave of dread comes over them both. "Yeah, I know, now you want me get to the point." He signs heavily and tries to move away. Connie grips him tighter, not letting him move. So he faces her directly, "We're headed back to Cybertron."

"How soon?"

He shakes his head, "Soon." Now he holds her closer.

"You want me to go?"

"Connie, you know I would never force you to do anything."

"Ratchet, I would love to go with you, but let's get real. I'm not a soldier. You would spend more time being worried about me getting hurt than doing your job, right?" He nods, "And you couldn't leave the boys. I wouldn't ask you to abandon them."

"And the boys can't go. It just isn't safe."

"Nor is it practical. They can make a better difference here than with us there."

"The same for me. I know you could use one more medic, but not at the cost of having to defend me constantly. Besides, as a human?"

Ratchet stokes her face lovingly belaying the inevitable information. "I have no idea when we will be back. And I have no idea when I will be able to contact you again. The plans call for some deadly covert missions. Silence. It could be years before I hear your voice again."

Connie snuggles in closer to his arms. She can feel his overwhelming ache. "You are torn about going too." He nods. "How long do we have tonight?"

Now his voice is husky with desire to make her forget his deployment, "Until he calls." Connie reaches her hand to cup the back of his neck and pull him into a passion lit kiss. His hands slip down to her waist pressing her hips against his. Connie reaches her other hand under a shoulder panel to release the pin. Ratchet yanks his head back as she hit's a pleasure sensitive circuit.

Connie nearly blushes, "Love, you are going to have to show me what to do."

Even though his head is swimming he catches the meaning and her nervousness, "You haven't…?"

She shakes her head. "Ratchet, you are the only lover I've ever had."

He gasps, "Oh Primus," and Connie can feel his love for her surge and enrapture her whole being. She reverberates it back to him. There is no way she is going to ask how many lovers he has had. But she can feel it doesn't matter. She was the only one who ever had his spark.

Slowly, tenderly he shows her how to remove the panels exposing his highly sensitive under armor. And even more reverently, he begins to remover hers. Until she can't take it any more and rips the rest off, hologram or not. Then she lays her body across his pressing the heated metal and then rubbing each of their sensitive circuits against each other. The cry is echoed as are the bounce back of sensations.

He rolls her to her back and lets her watch as he takes one finger tip and strokes ever so lightly the fold of light armor surrounding her port. Her body shutters and arches into his touch. Then he licks his finger and does it again. She cries panting and he slips the finger in. Her body heats up to a level she didn't know she could reach. "Please," she gasps. He lets his finger caress and stroke the opening, teasing her to greater heights. "Ra-Ratchet, what are… what are you …doing to .. Ah! ME" Her body thrust it's self into his finger. His smile and cocked eyebrow says it all.

With his other hand, he takes hers and brings it to his own chest, "Your turn."

"What do I do?"

"Find the cord."

"And then?"

"What do you desire?" he whispers.

"Oh Primus!" she gasps in ecstasy. Her fingers tease him as bad as he did to her. His own body is cringing and urging her on. Now the sensations are ricocheting to a dangerous point as she draws the cord from his chest, tantalizing it between just two light finger tips. His spark stops as she licks it and grins.

Shuttering he warns her, "You better… oh scrap… soon Connie or…else…." She thrusts it into her chest and they both cry out. And then the calm just before, "I love you Connie," he pulses into to her causing wave after wave of pure ….

There's no word in any language for what they experienced. Only true mates know the impact two souls joining have on the universe. Time, space and bodies no longer exist. Just them wrapped in warmth and oneness.

~~ Optimus actually had to come to Ratchet because he had shut his com-unit off. It crushed Optimus to find Ratchet laying in the snow with a grin of pure pleasure on his face, optics closed. He really didn't want to bring him around. Even debated leaving him there alone.

But Ratchet would never forgive him. Ratchet would probably come after his aft with two wrenches. If the mission succeeded. Optimus just stared at his dear friend in utter bliss.

Finally, he made the move after Ironhide pinged him, again. Optimus knelt and shook the shoulder, "Ratchet, it's time." It took three tries before Ratchet's optic cracked open.

"Ummmm? Optimus?" Ratchet was drunk on his mate's love.

Optimus knew that look, been there himself. Fragged into oblivion. He smiled gently, "Should I leave you two alone?"

Ratchet knows what Optimus is really asking, _Should I got without you? _Ratchet shakes his head. "No, I'm coming. Connie is supporting the decision." Optimus looks around not seeing her. Ratchet chuckles, and then Optimus sees the doctor stroking his spark chamber, not his _cord. _Rolling to his side and moving his hand slightly aside, the spark is exposed and Connie falls out into his hand. She is just as messed up as Ratchet first was.

With a stupid grin on her face she smiles, "Hey there Optimus."

Optimus smiles tenderly to her, "Hello Conbeana. How are you?"

She looks to Ratchet beaming and then back to Optimus, "Out of my ever frag'n mind." Ratchet blushes. Optimus chuckles and Connie giggles.

"I need to leave. Should-"

Connie turns serious very quickly, "Sparkmate, take me back to our sons. You have my blessing and my prayers." With that, Optimus watches Ratchet kiss his mate ever so tenderly on the lips. And once again, he is watching the mates separate. It pains him. Ratchet carefully transforms and Connie staggers but gets in. Optimus follows them out. Ratchet is a bit dazed still and a couple times, Optimus has to nudge him back in line.

But they make it back to the house with the snow still falling heavily. Connie is strong as she gets out. She presses her hand to both of their hoods, "Look after each other, alright?" They both grunt in reply.

Ratchet's voice chokes as he orders, "Go Connie, before you become my son's first patient." With that, he tears off down the street. Optimus waits until she enters the house before he follows the fleeing Hummer.

Connie staggers back into her house. Alexis is the only one home and jumps up when she sees Connie. Exhausted, but with a huge grin on her face.

"Oh my word! You got laid!" Alexis gasps!

Connie laughs, "No. "

Alexis can only smirk, "An how does it compare to human sex?"

"No comparison. Two totally different experiences."

"What was he better at?"

"You tell me, Mrs. Starscream?"

Alexis only laughs. "You're right. No comparison when talking about two different bodies."

Tears stream down her face, "But one soul."

Connie plops down onto the couch and then sinks her face into her hands. The sobs comes shortly. Alexis wraps her arms around Connie tightly. Alexis isn't sure why, but wonders if this is what she looked like the last night she saw Starscream. Connie doesn't tell her. Alexis doesn't ask. Mates have been separated.

"Until all are one…." Alexis whispers to her own ring of white metal and green star stone.

That was the last time Connie ever heard or saw Ratchet. It would be years later when she would find out that Ratchet's shuttle had been boarded and Ironhide and Ratchet along with several others had been brutally slaughtered on the shuttle.

But this is not the end of his spark….. Keep reading to see what happens to his sons….


	5. dump truck scars

**Prime Blood: Orion's Star Part 5 **

Starlex grows up. Yes, this is where they finally come together, and yes I petered out at this point. (no Peter-pun intended)

~~ Over the years, Alexis told Starlex that her father had been a fighter pilot killed in a training exercise. And awesome fighter pilot, but arrogant and too cocky. A cautionary warning for Starlex to not push her limits too far or else find herself in the same situation. He may be dead but it didn't mean she still couldn't learn from his mistakes!

As Starlex became a teenager, her looks changed. Alexis was terrified at her stunning beauty, but Starlex was no dummy either. Starlex has hair as black as her human father but straight as a board. Eyes as violet as aqua and ruby red blended together. Occasionally, Alexis has seen them glow when she was extremely happy or angry. The color cause so many questions, that finally they gave up and told everyone they were contacts so they would leave her alone. Starlex is tall and trim but with muscles like her warrior mother. Light and agile on her feet. She picked up fencing quickly. Even Alexis was surprised how graceful. No, Alexis argued with herself, she shouldn't be surprised. At the age of five she had started training with her mother. Now at eighteen, she could best Alexis. These were the times, she wished for Starscream and Skyfire's advice. Alexis never told Starlex that her father was a master swordsman. Starlex also joined track and field. Javelin, high jump and shot put were her strengths along with cross country track. Fast, light, agile, skilled, honed- she could be just what the EMC needs. Biting her tongue, Alexis knew she had to keep her promise to Starscream. She would not become a warrior and join her parent war.

Boys were wary of young Starlex. Her tongue was as sharp on retorts as the flick of her wrist with a sword. One time a jock made the mistake of trying to take her on while walking home from school. With a broomstick from the nearest trash can, she had him laid out in two moves. The guy was a jerk anyway, but when she tucked the broomstick back into the trashcan without a word, and strode away, everyone knew she was off limits. She could more than take care of herself. Made it hard for her to date, but Alexis wasn't arguing. Starlex didn't seem to focus on that. No, her focus seemed to be on learning more. Alexis smiled, herself always wanted to learn how to go faster, strike harder, go farther. Starscream, before the war, was a scientist always wanting to explore the mysteries of the universe and learn more about what was out there. So poor Starlex got that drive two fold. And she had brains to boot.

Orion and Jazzol had remained friends with her even after Alexis had moved out when she was two. Alexis' books had been a success as well as her skill as an air ambulance pilot. The advancement to the Northwest Territories also took her further away from Connie and the boys. As the boys headed off to high school and college, communication became farther and fewer.

The money Alexis got from her books, she set aside for Starlex's college fund. With Starlex's brains and track abilities she was sure to get scholarships. And she did.

Many teased Starlex about being the next Lucy Lawless in her medieval acting and sword skills. She took it with a compliment and even thought about heading out to Vancouver after graduation. Starlex had been the director for a couple of summer festival plays, leading with a tone that would make any Prime proud. The execution of her theater team was spot on. Alexis sat back and smiled as Starlex got her scholarship to The National Theatre School of Canada. Hopefully, she would stay under the EMC or 'Con radar. Connie had assured her that everything looked physically normal. No radiation readings and all her labs looked normal. Alexis sighed in relief knowing what she had to do in the coming weeks as Starlex headed to college.

~~ Starlex had caught her mother sitting in the back yard on high school graduation night. The graduation party she had been at had petered out at about two A.M. So Starlex had drifted back home.

Alexis was sitting on the back porch looking up to a sky lit up with bright stars. She looks up at the soft footsteps of her daughter. The way she crosses her hands over her chest, with a hip check reminds Alexis so much of her father. Alexis had to smile when she sees that same smirk of amusement slowly spread across her face. "Mom, what aren't you telling me?"

Alexis can't help but laugh, yeah, Starscream asked her that same question a few times. She holds a hand out to her daughter. Starlex comes to her mother as she motions. The daughter takes the step below her mother, so Alexis can wrap her arms around her daughter's shoulders. Starlex clips her hands onto her mother's arms.

"I love you, Starlex. I never knew I could love someone so much."

"More than my father?" Starlex teases.

"Yes, I believe so."

Starlex sighs, "Mom, I know there is more to him than you are telling me. I go to college in a few weeks. I think I can handle the truth."

Alexis laughs heartily, "Honey, I can't handle the truth." Instead, Alexis rest her head on her daughter's head and looks back to the stars. "Your father's name is Starscream."

"You mean his call sign, right?" Starlex tries to help.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Alexis lays her hand out and tugs at her wedding ring. Starlex looks down at it carefully. Alexis pulls it off. It wasn't easy, she hadn't ever taken it off after that first meeting with Connie. Then she takes Starlex's right hand and puts it on her middle finger. As she does so, the stone begins to glow. Both of them are surprised. A tear trickles down Alexis cheek. And then the glow dissipates. "Oh Starscream," she whispers.

"Did he know about me?" She strokes the stone.

"Yes sweetheart. And he wanted you to live so much. He died for your future to be in peace."

"Mom, please tell me what happened." And she turns up to her mother. The look that goes across her face says a lot. "You saw him die, didn't you?"

Alexis nods. "There is a lot that is classified from that day. Even now I can't talk about it and it doesn't really matter. This is what I want you to know. When he found out about you, he was shocked, but so was I. It brought him to his knees. He was second in command of his army. Nothing brought him to his knees but his commander's fist. He challenged his commander to find peace. He died for his beliefs. He had begged me to raise you here. He begged me to let you know you were always foremost in his … his heart."

"Mom, you mean he wasn't just a fighter pilot?" Alexis slowly shakes her head. Starlex is no dummy. She ponders her mothers lack of words very, very carefully. "He was the enemy, wasn't he?"

Alexis grasps her daughter's face in her palms, "Starlex, you must listen very carefully to me. You are smart. Smarter than me. You are strong. Stronger than your father. You are determined, more than both of us combined. I beg of you to make your life one of peace and happiness. I never regret a single scrap of time I had with your father. I just wished we could have raised you together in peace. So please take your father's plea for peace and your mother's love for you and live life to the fullest. Whatever it may be."

Starlex nods carefully, "Okay Mom. I will." Alexis pulls her daughter tightly to her chest and hugs her even tighter.

~~~ Six weeks later, Starlex was informed that Alexis was flying across The Northwest Territories in a fierce storm. The entire crew and patient were listed MIA. When Starlex got the news at her dorm, she spent the night crying but in the morning headed off to her classes. The EMC did not tell Starlex the truth to Alexis' disappearance.

That night, Starlex called Connie. Connie honestly didn't know any different. Starlex came home that weekend while Connie made arrangements with Angel's Flight. Within six weeks, Angel's Flight had recovered Alexis "body" but made it clear to be a closed casket. Neither Alexis or Connie saw any reason to dispute that.

Carlos came to the funeral. As did Billy and a few other Marines and other government looking officials. Of course the publisher and agent came. Connie stayed by Starlex's side. "I'm sorry honey, Orion wanted to come so badly, but at the last moment, one of the others had a family emergency. Their son came down with leukemia."

Starlex smiles grasping her guardian's hand, "He couldn't do anything for her now any ways. I'm glad he's there for a friend rather than here for me." Connie holds her tight. And then, Jazzol shows up.

Starlex almost doesn't recognize the red head in the business suit standing up straight and looking dignified. His voice is so soft, "Starlex?" Connie beams, and Starlex clings to him wrinkling his suit and then sobs into him. His hand cups the back of her head, "Hey, it's okay. I swear, I didn't rig your dorm room." He tries to tease her.

But she only hugs him tighter, "Damn, I miss you both." He chuckles. And then the service is called to order. Starlex clings to both Connie and Jazzol's hands.

At the reception, Starlex badgers Jazzol about Orion. But he can only shrug, "Honestly, I haven't seen or heard from him much. Always got his head buried in a book or patient. He really likes the ER, crazy guy. Said you see the strangest things there." Starlex laughs with him. And then he fills her in on the stuff he has been doing at the engineering firm and a few of his own practical jokes.

That night, she fell asleep on the back porch in the lounge chair next to Jazzol. Just like the old times when they would watch the summer shooting stars. In the morning he helped her pack the house. Starlex found it curious that most of the house already looked packed. "Connie, what's going on?"

Connie is also concerned, "She said nothing to me. I don't know."

Starlex headed up to her old room, it hadn't been touched. Except two things. Laying on her bed was the weapon's case. On top of the red star was the framed picture. There was no note. Jazzol comes in behind her. With out looking up to him, she strokes the picture of Starscream asleep on his folded arms, "She knew." Jazzol says nothing. She sets the picture aside and opens the case with the duplicate key Alexis made for her. There in the molded foam is her father's sword.

Jazzol steps forward with a new look on his face. His voice waivers, "Starlex, can I see that?"

She hands it to him. The way his hand runs over the insignias on the hilt and then down to the tip he is looking at it not as a piece of art. He sees something else. He turns it over and freezes. "Jazz, what is it?"

His thumb rubs on particular mark, "Starlex, I… I can't explain, alright? But I'm working on something top secret for the governments. World governments. I'll be out of contact for a few years."

Starlex wraps her hand over his, but he doesn't look up, "Jazzol?"

He covers the symbol with his palm realizing there is more to Alexis and his family that he had been told before. But what can he say to his childhood friend who lost the only family she has ever known? He looks to her tenderly, "I'm so sorry. If I knew… I…" He shakes his head weakly.

Instead, she takes the sword from him and wraps her arm around him. "You've always been a brother to me Jazzol. Please be safe, okay?" He nods and hugs her back.

~~Connie makes arrangements for the house to be rented and for Alexis/Starlex's belongings to be stored. Starlex takes the sword and sketch back with her.

~~ The years go by. Orion is now working in the emergency room section of the Taranto hospital. Jazzol has gotten a corner office at the top robotics firm in Quebec. Connie is still devoting her time to the children's hospital.

Starlex is now working with the college community theater as a choreographer and teaching classes. Occasionally she works on TV or movies choreographing or stunt doubling, but her true love is teaching and encouraging. Medieval summer fest is also a pastime of hers.

On this particular summer night, practice with the arrogant new recruit went wrong. Now Starlex was taking him to the ER. Keeping his arm elevated above his head, she chide him, "Paul, I told you to move. What made you think you could block that blow?'

Paul groans, "It didn't look that hard." Starlex snorts a reply.

A nurse leads them to a gurney in a room and gets Paul's vitals. Then the doctor comes in, "So what happened?"

Paul starts, "She hit me."

The doctor nods, "With what?"

Starlex lift her eyes to the strawberry blond doctor, "A sword."

The eyebrows lift on the doctor, "A sword?"

Then Starlex narrows her gaze at the doctor. He matches her gaze. She looks to the name tag: **Dr**. **O. Mecano** Her face lights up and then squeals, "Orion?"

The doctor looks closer at this twenty year old woman, tall but muscular with her thick straight black hair in a French braid to her waist. But it was the violet eyes that gave her away. "Starlex?" His face lights up as well and he sets the clipboard down instantly.

Starlex drops Paul's arm and dashes over to Orion's open arms. They hug tightly. His larger broader arms are so inviting. It's like coming home. For both of them. "What are you doing here?" She asks unable to hold back her tears.

He doesn't let go either, "I was so sorry to hear about your Mom."

"Hello, guy over here with an amputated arm," Paul reminds them. Both Orion and Starlex step back almost laughing and wiping their tears away. Orion blushes and comes over to his patient.

"So Starlex, why are you beating up guys with swords… again?" Orion teases her while examining the wound.

"Ah, ran out of dump trucks," she teases him back.

He waggles a syringe at her, "I still have scars from that truck, thank you."

"And Jazzol?" she smirks.

"Well, he got a tattoo to cover his scar."

Paul looks between the doctor and his blocking coach, "I take it you know each other?"

Orion and Starlex laugh heartily, "You could say that."

Orion begins stitching up Paul's arm but has an eye on Starlex, "What are you doing after you take your sparing partner home? I take it you two aren't dating?"

Paul gasps, "Starlex date? A guy has got to have guts made of titanium to survive date with her."

Starlex narrows her gaze at Paul, "Some guys just don't take a hint." Then she turns to Orion, "What about your wife?"

Orion laugh, "Yeah right, with these hours. You _are_ kidding."

Starlex smiles, "Come on there's got to be a nurse or two…"

Orion blushes deeply, but the nurse who comes in to hand him supplies answers, "Trust me, Dr. Mecano is on the top of everyone's list, but the man just doesn't know how to say yes to a date." He narrows a warning gaze at the nurse. She smiles at embarrassing him.

But Orion turns to Starlex, ripping off the gloves, "Why don't you take Sir Paul home and meet me at Rosa's?" He smirks back at the nurse applying the bandage to Paul. Starlex bites her lip and then nods. Paul's jaw drops. The nurse's jaw drops as well. Starlex and Orion laugh.

Starlex hastily drops Paul off at his mother's house with Dr. Mecano's instructions. Paul is very confused, "Starlex, after all those guys who ask you out, and you just say yes to that doctor? What gives?"

Starlex giggles like a little girl, "You just wouldn't understand." And she rushes out the door.

Orion, on the other hand, dashes through his paperwork but still making sure it was accurate. The six nurses at the hub shake their head, "Man, that woman must be something special to just sweep him away like that."

"What kind of a name is Starlex?"

One nurse walks by sipping her tea, "Hello, his first name is Orion. Star crossed lovers?"

The first nurse smacks the last nurse, "That's it! No more Alexis Paxton novels for you. Your head is stuck in a super nova."

The last one snorts, "Black hole."

"Whatever!" She rolls her eyes.

~ Orion, beaming, zips along the road in his black truck and gets a table a Rosa's Italian restaurant. Starlex dashes in the door a few steps behind him and almost collides into him. He turns quickly to catch her. Starlex's hands are on his chest while he grasps her upper arms. A strange green glow comes from his chest. They look down and see her father's ring glowing. Orion steps back and lets go of her. The ring stops glowing. Starlex touches his arm and it glows again. "Orion?"

He shakes his head, "I don't know." They both know it was her father's ring.

The waiter comes over, "Can I interest you in a glass of wine?"

Orion nods and Starlex joins him at the table. She drops her right hand below the table so that can concentrate on each other. And soon the wine does it's job. And they are back to catching up and laughing.

Starlex toys with the stem of the glass and sees he is studying her. She tilts the glass towards him, "Have you ever wondered why there are no pictures of our fathers?"

Orion nods, "Yeah, Jazzol and I often wondered that. We even asked Mom. She said it was because of his special ops. But I have talked to a couple other people who have parents in special ops. In fact, I had a cornel in one day getting his son patched up. We got to talking. And a couple days later I met with him. No special ops that he knows of would ever operate that way."

Starlex nods her head and then poses another question to him, "I tried doing research about Mom's tattoo. Earth Marine Corps doesn't exist except in urban legends. Something about space aliens and a some kind of galactic war. You know, the whole American Area 51 Conspiracy stuff."

This time her hand can't help but reach out for his. The ring glows again. They both watch it for a few minutes and then Starlex sets her glass aside, "Okay no more for me. I think I'm seeing things."

Orion sets his glass aside too, "And I just saw it too."

"So is Taranto home now?" She asks. He nods. "Yeah, me too. I sold mom's house. Got a little apartment."

Orion smiles, "Yeah, I got a little house not too far from Mom. Sometimes we carpool."

"Any word from Jazzol?"

"Just one liners. I'm fine. I'm still alive. You know stuff like that. He's been really busy running the robotics company.".

Starlex leans in, "A girlfriend?"

Orion snorts, "Jazz? More like twenty. The guy is a freak'n playboy."

"And you?" Orion looks down to his hands toying with the fork. "Orion, what is it?" She tries again.

He looks up at her pleading with her not to judge him, "I'm scared to date. You saw Alexis and Mom. So in love with their husbands but not with them. I'm afraid to love only to…" She lays he hand over his. So he smiles, "What about you? Hollywood I hear?"

She tips her head from side to side, "Dated, eh, occasionally. But the nice thing about theatre is you can go out with a whole bunch of people at once and pick them off one by one who you wouldn't want to be caught alone with. So no, nothing serious. Too many actors not enough commitment."

The lights start shutting off in the restaurant. Orion smirks and takes Starlex's hand. They leave a big tip and head out the door. Walking her to her car, he is reluctant to let go, "Can I see you again?" This isn't a brotherly tone. No this is a dating tone.

She smiles, "Damned well better, Orion Mecano, or I'll get another dump truck."

It's another two weeks and she hadn't heard from him. When Orion arrived at work one day, he found a large metal Tonka dump truck filled with honey fudge waiting at the ER . There's a piece of paper with his name on it stabbed through with a pink sword. Some of the nurse are a bit concerned with the sword.

But seeing the deep blush across his face, they know it isn't a threat. It's a courting thing. He tucks the truck under his arm, and popping a piece of fudge in his mouth.

The head nurse calls out, "Hey! Orion aren't you going to share?"

Normally generous Orion smirks wickedly, "Absolutely not! I'm going to check on my mom, I'll be right back."

He heads upstairs and finds his mom's office. He comes in and sets the dump truck right in the center of her desk. She looks up at him curiously, "Orion, what's this?"

He twirls the sword still blushing slightly, "Guess who's back in town?"

She looks at the dump tuck, the fudge and the sword. She's confused. He pulls his bangs back and shows the scar on his forehead that retreats further back onto his scalp. Connie giggles understanding now. He hands her a piece of fudge. Connie can see the serious question he actually came to ask.

"Mom, I was there when she was born. She's practically a sister. Isn't she?"

Connie shakes her head, "But Orion, she's not. Besides, you haven't seen her in almost ten years. A lot has changed."

He sighs, "Oh yeah, you can say that again!"

Connie leans in, "You already went on one date, didn't you?" Orion shrugs blushing again. He tries to cover with another piece of fudge, "Annnnnd?"

Orion slowly looks up, "Mom, I've always dreamed about her and I living happily ever after. Even when we were kids. It thought I was sick. You know, a creep."

Connie reaches over and lays a hand on his, "Orion, did you dream of, creeping things with her?" He shook his head. "What did you see?"

"Fishing. Decorating the Christmas Tree. Bar-b-ques in the back yard. Hiking together. Teaching our kids to ride a bike. You know, family stuff."

Connie smiles, "Orion, at six you told me you had to be there for her birth. I agree. I think you were always meant to be together."

"Does she know that?" He frets.

Connie laughs, "You won't know unless you ask her." She taps the dump truck. "Looks like some wants you to call them a whole lot."

Orion leans his frame across the table and kisses her forehead, "Primus, dad is lucky to have you. You are so smart." Connie holds him close. "I'm sorry Mom, I didn't mean-"

Connie pulls his chin so he is looking directly at her, "Never be sorry to tell me how you feel. Especially when it come to your father. And yeah, he is scrapping lucky to have me. And I'm twice as lucky to have you and Jazzol. Now go call her before she brings a back hoe."

Orion rubs his shoulder where he had a scar from the back hoe and snatches his mother's phone making a date with Starlex. Connie just chuckles.

The n ext week, Orion finally takes a chance while dropping her off at her apartment. His palm cups her face and he leans in, "I should have known all along." He leans in. Starlex doesn't push him away. No, she steps into his arms and lift her chin reaching into his kiss. A tender kiss, longing for companionship. His hands are so warm cupping her against his warm body wile his lips grasp this moment afraid to let go or shatter his dream.

A first warm kiss for the couple. She strokes his face as he pulls back. He smiles at her, "Starlex, I'm not ashamed to tell you, I'm a virgin.

Starlex smiles snuggling into his arms, "Orion, nobody even wanted me."

Orion chuckles, "Now that's a bold faced lie and you know it. There are plenty that wanted you. The truth is, they're afraid of you." And he lifts her chin, "And so are you."

She flushes, "Orion, this is going to sound crazy." He smiles at all the craziness of their lives, encouraging her. "I think I've always loved you. You protected me, but more than a brother. You encouraged me…"

Orion doesn't wait, "Marry me. Please, marry me."

She doesn't need to answer, she just nods. At that moment, the ring glows again. "It was meant to be." They both gasp.

Quickly they head inside and call Connie. Somehow, she knew it all along too.

~~ The couple decides they can't wait too long. They have waited a long time already. At first it was planned for six months.

The gentleman in Orion wants to wait until they were married to make love to Starlex. He was sure he could hold off, he hoped. Starlex was barely able to hold on, as well. She upped the wedding date three months due to her burning desire for her mate. As soon as they exited the small wedding chapel, he swept her into his arms and to his waiting truck. He had warned his mother to lead the others to the reception hall. But he tore off down a side road. Starlex had told him about a small cottage next to lake she had rented for their honeymoon not far from town. The truck was barely stopped when Starlex crawled into his arms. Hungrily he began kissing her while carrying her out of the truck. The door was left unlocked. Thank goodness, because Starlex had no idea where the keys were. Inside, Orion turned kicking the door closed. Starlex was pulling at his tuxedo while he scrambled to find the fasteners on her billowing dress. "Why all this Tule?" He grumbles against her neck.

"What's with these stupid tiny buttons?" she returns the grumble. He steps back and quickly releases the top couple buttons and pulls the rest of the shirt off over his broad shoulders. Starlex returns the favor, releasing the hidden zipper and letting the fabric pool at her feet. Smiling and giggling, they quickly finish stripping. And then a side of Orion Starlex is pleasantly surprised emerges. He is hungry for the taste of her skin. Starlex cries out at his passionate nips and tugs with his teeth. With gentle pressure to his shoulders, she forces him to sit on the bed. And then to his own cry, she straddles him and sheathes him. It's clear to both, neither are no longer virgins. Smiles come to them both. Ever so carefully, their first joining is full of pent up desire. When he collapses on top of her panting, she strokes his spine and whispers to him in a tongue neither one of them have used in years: _My love_… in Cybertronian.

They were both reluctant to join the reception, but knew it had to be done. At least they had this moment alone together. Orion helped her get the tiara of silver stars straight. She helped him get his white bowtie with printed silver stars straight. Smiling broadly with hands clasped, they entered the reception hall. Connie knows that look on them both. She can't help but smile. Orion looks so much like his father with broad shoulders and strawberry blond hair. Beside him smirking, Jazzol looks more like Connie with fire red hair, and lithe. But more like his name sake, Jazz is scanning the floor for a hot young thing to dance with. It will take a very strong woman to rein Jazzol in. Orion needed a tender soul. Starlex, a little wild, but with a tender heart was just what Orion needed. And looking at the way he keeps her tucked close to his body, it was clear, they were mates. Starlex, nestles into Orion's body like a sword and it's sheath.

While Starlex and Orion cut a point of their three tiered star shaped wedding cake, Connie noticed Alexis' wedding ring on Starlex's right hand softly glowed with the touch of Orion. Connie wasn't surprised by the news of the glowing ring. But she couldn't explain it with out revealing galactic secrets. Alexis and Connie had agreed not to tell their children about their Autobot/Decepticon lineage. But it truly warmed Connie's heart to see an Autobot child and a Decepticon child joined in peace. Starscream would be pleased. Ratchet would be too, though not as quickly.

There was so much happiness in this room. Connie so wished her mate could be here to see the joining of his son. A twinge of sadness crossed her heart. It had bothered Connie she hadn't heard from Ratchet in a long time.

The marriage was healthy and happy. Starlex kept up with her community theater life. Orion continued working at the ER center.

Connie was even more pleased to see Starlex and Orion have healthy normal human children. She had been worried. Very worried. But Michael came along just fine. A few years later came Alice.

~~ Michael followed in his father's footsteps by becoming an emergency doctor. Quick on his feet and a fast thinker, he had saved many lives. Going to an Oriels game with a friend, he met Marsha. Marsha, visiting a friend, was from Idaho. She was a medic with the American Marines. Connie could see where the relationship was going. But she also had a strange feeling. She played her chips with Earth Marine Corpse.

So Connie took Orion and Jazzol for a private walk when they all went on a family vacation to the jungle. Connie clung to her sons when she took them to a lookout along the path. Orion could see the tips of a building in the jungle foliage. Jazzol watched his mother carefully reset her wedding rings. The gaze on her face showed she was getting a message that only she could hear. Orion figured it worked kind of like Starlex's ring. But then Connie sank to the ground and told her sons that their father was dead. Jazzol mentioned that he thought he had been gone for a long time. But Connie just shook her head.

Then their mother parted her wedding rings and put one on each son's hand. "This is a piece of your father. Keep it safe. You may need it one day."

The brothers looked at each other curiously. But they helped their grieving mother back to her room. That night, Starlex and Orion couldn't keep their eyes off Connie. Something just wasn't right. Even the talk about Michael and Marsha's engagement was over looked.

The next morning, Starlex went to check on Connie. She found Connie at rest. Starlex felt like she had just lost her second parent. It grieved her greatly.

Starlex had been left to go through Connie's home alone. She went through her electronic diary. There were messages between Ratchet and her. Some were quite passionate and tender. But there was also a reverence to _Autobots . _Certainly something very special to them both. And Alexis. There was also the word _Cybertron _that kept coming up.

It didn't make sense to her. Until Michael and Marsha mentioned that they were headed to a space station. The station had a name called Cybertron. And the logo on their jackets. Starlex hadn't seen it since she closed out Connie's things years before.

Starlex went back into her mother's things. Then she dug out Connie's messages from her husband. She tried going over it with Orion. But he just pushed the thought away with a tender stoke to her face, "Starlex, I think you have an imagination like your mother. And with Michael headed off, I think your brain is just going into creative overtime. Give it a rest. You are going to drive yourself crazy. Look, I have to get ready for that conference. Give it a rest." Rather than fight with her husband, Starlex dropped the conversation with him.

Orion left for the conference, but the thought just wouldn't go away. So she called Jazzol. Jazzol was more than pleased to hear from his sister-in-law. "Hey Starlex! What's up?"

Starlex tries carefully, "Orion thinks I'm nuts."

Jazzol laughs, "Well you can't be that crazy to marry him!" But Starlex doesn't laugh back. Jazzol hears the seriousness in the silence, "What is it?"

"I've asked this before, but I think I need real answers this time. Something has been nagging me. What do you know about our fathers?"

Jazzol's tone also drops to a serious level. "Look, not on the phone. Can you come here?"

Starlex swallows hard, "You believe me?"

"Not now Star. Just come here. Let's talk."


	6. sister in law

**Orion's Star: 6 Final**

a/n Alright, I'll be the first to admit… I'm tapering off here. This will be the last for Orion, but not for Jazzol. From here, I got side tracked with Miko (yes, TF Prime) and Jazzol. So shoot the writer, I understand. But so much more is in other stories of the saga. Yes, Bee will find out who Michael is. And Arcee will find out who Jazzol is.

And so here it is.

Starlex catches the next flight out to Quebec. Jazzol met her at the airport in his own black and red Hummer. Starlex smirks. He just shoots her a smirk back, "Oh shut up. I loved my mom, what's wrong with that?"

Starlex puts her hand up, "Nothing!"

Jazzol takes Starlex to a lakeside park. He backs the Hummer up to the waterfront. They go around to the back and he drops the tail gate. Pulling out his own laptop in a shielded briefcase, seriously protected, his face turns grave. Starlex pulls out their mothers' laptops. They go over the notes together.

Jazzol tells her, "When Orion told me about the ring, I did some checking. Let me see it." It takes a lot for her to get it off her hand. But he sets it on the portable scanner. The computer beeps and searches. Then it comes up with a ping. Jazzol sighs heavily, "Yeah, that's what I suspected." He turns to her, "I want to do one last thing. Can I have a drop of your blood?"

Starlex doesn't question him. He pulls out a portable med kit. With a drop of her blood on one spot of the scanner and a drop of his on another, they wait for the readings. Mean while they read through the two laptops she brought. Starlex points out key words from specific messages.

Jazzol tells her, "I started doing my own investigation. Being with robotics, a lot of our stuff goes into the space industry. So I used a couple of my connections. There really is an Earth Marine Corpse. And upon further investigation, your mother was part of the group. But I couldn't figure out where she was stationed. And I couldn't figure out what they were doing. But whatever it was, they were dealing with some very serious firepower. Much more intense that anything we use here on Earth. Stuff that could penetrate four layers of titanium. Apparently your mom was an ace pilot, quickly discharged after a major battle. There were some strange coded messages. Somebody very important died in that battle and then your mother was well, almost expelled for being pregnant."

Before she can answer, Jazzol's laptop pings again. This time, Starlex can see it herself. She sinks down onto the tail gate of his truck. "Oh dear God."

Jazzol turns to her carefully, "As my mother said, _By the All Spark_."

Starlex turns up to him. "How can this be real? I… I don't understand."

He nods, "Most humans have some metal in their blood stream. You know, the iron that they checked you for while pregnant?" She nods. He taps the screen. "No one has this metal in their system. A routine doctor wouldn't check for this. I narrowed the scanner down to check for it." He points between the blood readings and the ring readings. It's the same metal. "Except us."

Starlex picks up her ring and examines it carefully, "My mother doesn't have this metal does she?"

He shakes his head, "Not in the concentration you do."

Starlex points to Jazzol's readings, "You have twice as much as me."

Jazzol nods and taps the ring. "That isn't a gift from your father." She is clearly shocked. He slips the ring back onto her hand, "That is_ a piece _of your father."

She swallows hard and points back to his readings, "But you…? Why? I don't get it."

Jazzol reaches into his bag again and pulls out one of her mother's books. **Prime Blood**, "Yes, you do." He taps the top of the cover, "This is not fiction. This is our life. This is our mothers' love life." He hold up his own ringed right hand, "My father. I've already tested it."

Starlex turns to Jazzol and very slowly informs him, "Michael and Marsha just got their orders." Jazzol looks at her concerned, "A space station named Cybertron."

Now it's his turn to sink down. "Oh dear Primus." He holds her right hand with his right hand. They look down at their hands. Pieces of their dead fathers. Warriors. And now her son, his nephew, were headed back to their fathers' war. Jazzol wraps his arms around his friend.

Starlex's chin waivers, "What do I tell Orion?"

Jazzol just strokes her back, "Does the ring still glow for you?" She nods. "Then don't tell him anything. Let him love you. I'll do what I can to keep them safe."

Starlex pulls back and wipes her tears away, "But they are getting a chance to see our parent's home."

Jazzol smiles, "Yeah, but if it really is how your mother described it, it sounds like hell."

Starlex looks down at his right hand, "Your mother wasn't always human, was she?"

Jazzol smiles, "I don't think so. But she sure loved my father."

Starlex smiles, "I know Mama loved my father too, but I always felt there was something more. Mama said he was the enemy. Second in command fighting to take over. She said he fought with himself as much as with his enemies."

Jazzol nods, "And my mother talked about the devotion my father had to his friends. She hoped I would always be that tight with Orion."

"Do you think you are?"

Jazzol smiles, "Yes. And you too. My sister." They hug tightly.

"I should be home for Orion tomorrow. Michael and Marsha leave at the end of the week. I'm going to tell them some of this."

Jazzol nods, "Be careful what you tell them."

~~~ Just before Michael and Marsha left, Starlex gave Marsha Starscream's ring. Swallowing hard, she pressed the ring in her hand, "Marsha I'm begging you. Please bury this on Cybertron. And say a prayer for my parents."

Marsha looks at the ring curiously, "But it's a space station."

Starlex smiles mysteriously, "No, it's not. And you are getting a chance I never did." She looks over to Orion, "We never did." Orion comes over to them, "Orion, they are going to the place of our fathers' birth." Orion gives her a curious look. "Alexis' stories were no stories. They were history. Our family's history."

Orion pats Starlex's hand, "Darling, I think you are reaching too far. I think you are scaring her. Come on, it's time to go." Starlex gives Michael and Marsha a last tender hug and then lets Orion take her home.

~~ On the flight, Marsha tells Michael about Starlex's conversation. Michael is confused, "Mom? Crazy talk like that just doesn't sound like her. I wonder what that was all about."

But a week later, Michael, Marsha are stepping off a transport shuttle. And they were standing among very large robots. Living robots. 'Bots who have been fighting for their planet for eons. And some of the names are becoming familiar from Grandmother Alexis' stories.

And then they came to the war room. There on the marble wall was a list of names of the fallen. Michael sees a name precious to his grandmother Connie: Ratchet. Michael sinks to his knees looking at the coupling band on his right hand. A smaller black and yellow 'Bot comes over to him, "Dr. Mecano, are you alright?"

Michael turns to the yellow face beside him. He takes the iridescent Cybertronian black and yellow/green ring off and lays it in the 'Bot's hand, "Please, tell me what this is."

Bumble Bee turns it over and looks at it carefully, "It looks like a coupling ring. From the communications section of a 'Bot. Where did you get it?"

Michael has a hard time catching his breath. "It was my Grandmother's wedding ring. She said it was a piece of my Grandfather."

"Who was your grandfather?" Bee ask carefully.

"Rachet' Mecano." Both Bee and Michael freeze and just stare at each other. Ever so carefully Bee rises. He lifts a hand and ever so tenderly touches a name engraved on the wall. Ratchet. Bee takes the ring and ever so carefully presses it into the center of the R.

But that isn't all. Marsha points to a name on the wall. "That name. Monique Garcia. I know that name. Primo. I've heard that name." Bee whips his head around to Marsha. But he can't speak. His tender look says it all. "My foster father was very sick towards the end. I thought he was delusional. I can see now, he wasn't. I can see all the 'Bots around me now. He wasn't crazy. And you… Bumble Bee. He… he knew you."

Michael stares at her, "What are you talking about Marsha?"

Marsha reaches for his hand, "Leo Garcia… that wasn't his real name. It was Primo Maximums Garcia. Then he went by Max Lennox in college. There was… some kind of illness. I don't understand it all, but he changed his name to hide. Again." They both look to Bee. All he does is nod. "You mean his crazy story was true?" Bee nods slowly.

"His sister… You just missed her by about a year. But Rosa's children are here."

Just then a red and orange 'Bot comes to the doorway. Bee nods to the 'Bot in such a way that Marsha and Michael know this 'Bot is one of Rosa's children.

Fire Lock smiles, "There you are Bee, Prime is looking for you." Bee nods. "On the roof. Some kind of command staff meeting." Fire Lock nods to the humans in respected greeting and then takes off.

Marsha looks to Bee in shocks, "Prime?"

"The current Prime. Rosa and Primo's father was the last Prime. Fire Lock's father is the current Prime. Rosa's mate."

Marsha and Michael are still shocked. Bee looks just as shocked. Bee turns tender, "I really need to meet with him."

Marsha holds up Starlex's ring, "Bee, please. One more thing. Starlex, my mother in law, asked me to bury this here. She said it was her father's. She said this was her father's birth place and asked me to return is with a prayer for her parents. Who was her father?"

Bee takes the ring. He turns it over carefully. He has to examine it very carefully. Then he uses one of his other sensors. Now his breath is caught in his throat, "By the All Spark! Please say it isn't true!" But he knows deep in his spark that it is true.

"Bee, what is it?" Marsha whispers

Bee can't face her, "My enemy."

"Is this his birth place?" Michaels asks. Bee only nods. "Does he deserve that right?"

Bee turns to Michael very tender and palms the ring carefully, "In spite of every battle I had with him, he did give his life in hopes of peace. Yes, he deserves that right."

Then he tenderly gives the ring to Michael. "I will take you there tomorrow. I'm sorry, but I really must meet with my commander. Please keep the secret of _that ring_ to yourself. It would not go over well with others. But I do find respect in Starscream's actions." With that, Bumble Bee begins to leaves the room of valor.

But he stops quickly. He turns back around, "Starlex's father… Who was her mother?"

Michael answers this time, "A fighter pilot named Alexis Paxton."

Bee staggers and grips the wall tightly, "Pax-ton." His voice almost chokes, "Paxton."

Michael steps forward, "Bumble Bee? What is it?"

Bee only shakes his head and stumbles away clutching a hand to his chest like he is having a heart attack. He keeps gasping as he stumble away, "By the All Spark." To himself he gasps _"My son. My grandson stands before me."_


End file.
